Remember Me?
by Liz Inc
Summary: [OH] Tea and Malik are childhood friends...that is, until they're forced apart. Years later, Tea finds that Malik has not only changed, but is cursed with a dark side. Will she be able to save him before this newfound evil consumes him from within? TM
1. The Arrival

HIYA GUYS! Liz Inc here again with a new fic. And guess what? Sunday is my birthday! Yeah for me!

Anyway, before I begin, there are a few things that I think I should explain to you first 'cause otherwise, ya might get confused…

First off, Tea might be a little OOC, but tons of people write her that way, so it's not that big of a deal. Why? Well first off, she will be a duelist in this story, and she will ROCK! Also, the way this story occurs and ends will be different from the actual show. See, I've never really seen/heard about the end…I haven't even watched all the aired episodes to be honest with you. (-.-) Yeah, yeah, I know. So don't get mad if it doesn't go just right…'cause it won't. I'm going to be skipping around a lot.

Tea will be OOC for another reason. See in this story, she's half _Egyptian_ and half _Americano_. She's not Japanese at all. Plus, she's gonna own an eighth millennium item that I have dubbed the "Millennium Bracelet." (yeah, I'm sure its been used before. I didn't say I owned it, did I?) It will have the same gold diamond shapes hanging off of it like Bakura's Millennium ring, except it doesn't detect other items…it detects spirits (like Yami, YB, and YM).

Also, I created another Egyptian God card…actually, it's an Egyptian _Goddess_ card. It's called "Evareena (eevuh-reenuh), the Wing Goddess." (got Evareena from Pilot Candidate, and Wing Goddess from the Esca Flowne movie, so it's like I don't even own the damn thing!) I'll explain what she can do and what she looks like in the story. Tea will be the one to possess it in the Battle City Finals.

**SUMMARY** (it's a bit longer): Tea is taken to live with the Ishtars and the other tomb keepers because after her mother's death, she becomes the last living descendent of the Pharaoh's Queen (it just so happens that she's the actual reincarnation of that ancient queen). While living with the Ishtars, she becomes best friends with Malik and Ishizu, yet when Malik turns 12, she is forced to leave the lair. 5 years later, Tea discovers a shocking truth about her former best friend - that he is cursed with a horrifying dark side. How will she react, and what will she do to stop his evil conspiracies and save him from the evil that resides within him? Dunno…guess you gotta read!

"talking"

'thoughts'

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh, 'cause if I did, the thought of Tea being a so called "friendship preacher" and the concept of "Tea bashing" would be _unheard_ of! How I would accomplish this exactly, I do not know…haven't gotten that far yet. -.-U

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chaper** **1**: The Arrival

"Come on now, Tea. Everything is going to be okay…I promise you," the young woman coaxed as she reached out towards the petrified girl with welcoming arms.

The young girl slowly backed away from her golden-eyed guardian. There was no way she was going to go down into that dark and scary hole that lay deep within the Egyptian sands. She was fine right where she was…_on top _of the ground.

The woman, noticing her fear, stopped dead in her tracks. "You know you can _trust_ me, Tea. You were there when I promised your mother that I'd take good care of you…remember?" She smiled soothingly as she tucked her long, black mane behind her ears, holding out her arms once more.

Tea glared up at her with hateful, azure eyes. _Mommy_. Where was she? As far as she was concerned, this woman was an intruder. She didn't even know her name - well, actually she did. It was Lyra, but she _still_ considered her to be a complete stranger; one that had seemingly _replaced_ her mother but a month ago, shortly after she had fallen into that deep slumber that she yet to awaken from…

Lyra frowned sullenly. It was kind of sad that the small, auburn-haired girl refused to believe, let alone understand, that her mother was _dead_.

"Mommy…" Tea whispered. She paused for a moment as hot tears began to slowly cascade down her tiny face, leaving pale stains along her lightly tanned cheeks. "Mommy, where ARE YOU?"

Lyra cringed. "Oh, please don't do this again. You know she isn't here right now, nor is she ever…" Her voice faded off as inevitable tears began to fall from her own glazed, golden eyes. No…she couldn't cry now. Not now - _please_ not now…

"NO!" the tiny girl screamed. She wasn't going to listen to this. Her mother _was_ coming back. This stupid lady had _no idea_ what she was talking about. She was about to bolt off in the other direction, but froze as a young, placid-faced girl emerged from within the dark, daunting hole. Her crying immediately ceased. What the heck was a girl like her doing down in a place like that?

Tea eyed her intently. She was actually quite beautiful and couldn't have been much older than she was. She had long, jet-black hair and striking, blue eyes…kind of like her mother's.

"Let me try," she whispered in Lyra's ear. The young guardian was slightly startled by the girl's sudden appearance, but still nodded in consent.

"Hello," she said cheerfully. "My name is Ishizu, and I live down there in that 'seemingly' scary hole."

"…Y-you d-do?" Tea stuttered. She was extremely confused. How could that girl not be afraid to go _down_ into that hole, let alone _live_ in it? Wasn't it scary?

"Yes, I do. I don't usually come out either, but father let me _just_ this once because the others had told him that you were too afraid to come down." She slowly strode over to where the young girl stood and held out her hand.

"Others? What others?" Tea asked, wiping away her excess tears on her cream-colored sleeve.

"Why, the other tomb keepers. Didn't you know? There are lots of us!" When the Tea didn't respond, she continued: "Now come on. There's nothing to worry about." She carefully took the brunette's hand within hers and began leading her towards the entrance of the hole. Tea tried to resist, but Ishizu was much stronger than she was. "Come on now, Tea. I already told you that you have nothing to fear. Don't you trust me?"

Tea narrowed her eyes and frowned. She just met this girl…how could she possibly trust someone that she had _just _met? She slowly nodded her head in an effort to satisfy the girl's insistent gaze…it was beginning to _frighten_ her.

Ishizu smiled. "Good. Now come on. I'll be right next to you the entire way down, and she'll be right behind you." She pointed to Lyra who quickly nodded in response.

Oh yeah. That made her feel _tons _better…

Not.

Tea carefully walked over towards the top step of the opening and peered down inside. The descent's walls appeared to be made out of some sort of opaque, beige-hued stone; was lined with flickering torches; and had long jagged cracks and prominent jutting rocks scattered all along and throughout its midst.

Scary? No. Terrifying? YES.

She silently gasped as she felt her lower lip begin to slightly quiver, biting down on it as hard as she could to prevent any more cries and tears from escaping her horribly contorted visage. Why did she always have to act like such a baby?

She glanced over at the young, Egyptian girl. She was really brave…how did she do it? She would live, sleep, eat, breathe, and play down there day after day like it was no big deal. How could she not - hey, wait a minute! Tea returned her gaze to the serrated stone steps that appeared as if they led to an instant doom. If Ishizu wasn't scared of going down into this hole, then why should she be? She took in a deep breath and swallowed hard as she lowered her foot onto the next step.

Hey…nothing happened! To be honest, she had half expected the ceiling to come crashing down on top of her head or something.

Ishizu smiled warmly. "See? That wasn't so bad now, was it?" She lowered herself onto the next stone step as well.

Tea nodded, except this time, she meant it. She felt Lyra give her shoulders a reassuring squeeze from behind, and it, surprisingly enough, gave her a little extra comfort. A small smile crossed her lips. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as she thought it'd be...

Finally convinced that everything would be okay, she leisurely began to descend into the deep, dark depths of the unknown, leaving behind the fear that once consumed her fragile little heart.

**xxXxxXxx**

After what seemed like forever, they arrived at the bottom. Tea was extremely alert and furtively glancing in all directions. They had entered a large, yellow-hued room that was covered in the shadows of dancing flames.

"Hello father!" Ishizu called out.

Tea stopped walking and looked up. There stood a tall man in dark purple robes; he was actually quite _strange_ looking for an Egyptian. He had bleached blonde hair and piercing violet eyes that sent an uncomfortable chill up Tea's spine. What a _creepy_ man…

Ishizu pointed to her. "Father, this is An- I mean, Tea!" A sheepish smile crossed her lips. "_Tea_ Gardner."

The man looked down at Tea and asked in a deep, raspy voice, "So you're the girl…very good. We've been expecting you for a very long time now." He crouched down to her height so he could get a better look at her. "Yes, yes. I see the resemblance."

"Y-You've been waiting? For me? Why?" Tea asked, cocking her head to the side in a confused manor. The man just laughed as he stood back up. He looked over at the woman who stood quietly behind the two girls. "Why Lyra, you didn't tell her?"

The woman bit her lower lip. "No - well I thought that _you'd_ want to. Besides…" She stopped talking and walked over to where he was standing and whispered, "Mr. Ishtar, she's hardly able to comprehend the fact that her mother is dead. If I told her that she was a reincarnation of the Pharaoh's queen, she'd…she just wouldn't understand! You should really wait until she gets older- "

"Ms. Lyra…don't you think I know what's best for the girl? I mean she _is_ going to be under my care and the care of my many dedicated tomb keepers for the next decade or so, isn't she? You _must_ think I'm at least _somewhat _dependable if you brought her here…if her mother specifically _instructed_ you to bring her here," he responded coldly. "And anyway, it is her destiny to receive the bracelet if she is indeed the person we think she is." He then whirled around in the other direction and clapped his hands a couple times. "Odeon! Bring it here!"

Lyra stood on the tips of her toes so she could see over his shoulder. Approaching was a young man with bright gold eyes and no hair except for a thin, black ponytail that originated from the back of his head. He was carefully carrying a pillow that had the most magnificent piece of jewelry sitting upon it. Her lips slowly parted and her eyes widened as she carefully took in its every detail…

It was a thick, golden band that had a large Egyptian eye in the center of it, and dangling off the sides were tiny golden diamonds. Wow…she had never expected the Millennium Bracelet to look _this_ spectacular. Then again, she had only read about it in the ancient scriptures, and you can't really envision something's true beauty and radiance by merely reading about it.

Mr. Ishtar grinned. "Now, the only way we'll find out, is if she tries it on…"

All of a sudden something hit Lyra. Something she hadn't thought of before…"Wait!" she screamed. Tea looked up from the game of rock-paper-scissors that she was playing with Ishizu. She wanted to know what all the fuss was about…

"Secrets, secrets are no fun, now you must tell everyone!" she began chanting. Ishizu giggled. Tea then rushed up to Lyra's side and began pulling on her robe. "C'mon Lyra, you can tell me! I promise that I won't…say…" The young girl trailed off as her eyes became transfixed on the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever seen. She felt her hands slowly begin to reach out for it…like they were being guided by some sort of ubiquitous, invisible force.

"No!" Lyra screamed again, grabbing the girl by the arms. "Tea, you mustn't touch it!" She looked up at Mr. Ishtar. "She cannot touch it! If she does…if it rejects her, she could di- "

"BUT…you see, we have nothing to worry about now, do we? Her mother _was_ a direct descendent of Queen Anzu herself, was she not? What makes you think that little Tea here isn't the one? I mean, I could have sworn that you had just told me that she was," Mr. Ishtar asked annoyed. He _had_ to know. He and his family had been waiting for the return of the Pharaoh for 5000 years now, and as the prophecy states, "_He shall rise a single decade after she_."

"I know, but…" Lyra began as she continued to tightly hold Tea's hands within hers. The girl wasn't paying any attention though. She seemed to be locked in some sort of a trance.

"Lemme go," she mumbled, trying to squirm out of the young woman's grasp.

"Please, Lyra. Let her go. I can assure you that nothing will happen to her," Odeon spoke softly. Lyra looked up at him with teary eyes. He merely smiled and continued. "For I have seen the ancient carvings of Lady Anzu herself, and although Tea is very young, I can still see a strong resemblance."

Lyra was reluctant, but she slowly let go of the girl's hands and closed her eyes. She couldn't lose her now…she had promised to protect her…_always_…

Tea slowly extended her arm and at the same time, the bracelet began to glow.

"Yes!" Mr. Ishtar exclaimed. Other tomb keepers began to gather around them, including a small boy who greatly resembled the head of the tomb keepers himself…"It is awakening! The Millennium Bracelet is finally awakening! My fellow Tomb Keepers, it has begun!"

Tea continued to slowly reach out for it until her small fingers wrapped around the thick, golden band. A huge burst of light filled the darkened tunnels of the lair, blinding everyone. They shielded their eyes with their arms until the light had finally died down to reveal…

"OOO!" cried an excited little girl as she fingered her new toy. "It's soooooo pretty! Can I keep it? _Please_ can I keep it? Please, please, _please_!" There, in the center of the room, stood Tea…and she was wearing the bracelet. It had shrunk to fit her tiny wrist exactly. It had actually _accepted_ her…she was _really_ the one…the reincarnation of Anzu Mazaki had _finally_ arrived.

She continued to jump up and down in circles like she was on a sugar high until something caught her eye…a young boy peeking around the corner with platinum-blonde hair and violet eyes…

All at once, everyone began to talk excitedly.

"Lady Anzu is here!"

"Only a decade away!"

"The Pharaoh is coming! He's _really_ coming!"

"Yes, and _we're_ going to be alive for it!"

Mr. Ishtar looked over at Odeon with a huge smile on his face and said, "It looks like Malik won't have to wait too long after he receives the Tomb Keeper's initiation, now will he?"

"No sir, he won't." Odeon replied, smiling as well. He looked over at Lyra who was crying hysterically. 'Quite an emotional girl, I must say.'

Lyra squealed with glee as she bent down and squeezed Tea in a tight embrace. "Thank Ra you're all right!" Tea continued to stare at the boy with great interest, but he didn't seem to notice. He looked very close to her age as well…probably closer than Ishizu was. All of a sudden, his violet eyes met her blue ones, and before she could smile or wave, he quickly darted around the corner and disappeared.

"Alright! My turn!" Ishizu yelled as she struggled to pull the overly happy woman off of Tea. "_My_ _turn_!"

Lyra was reluctant to let go of the girl again, but did so anyway. She watched as she and Ishizu danced around in a little circle, acting as if they hadn't a care in the world…

Tea meant so much to her. She may have not been her mother, but she sure loved her like one. She WAS, after all, her overprotective, teenage nanny. Her mother, Kalila, and the girl's mother, Yasmine, had been best friends since they were mere children. And since Tea's mother was a very busy woman (she _was_, after all, a prominent Egyptian Noble), the responsibility of watching over the girl was administered to her: Yasmine's best friend's fifteen-year-old daughter. However, due to the sudden and tragic death of her father, Lyra was forced to leave the one-year old girl until well after her fourth birthday. Tea was currently 5, but that three-year absence was _more_ than enough time to allow the little girl to forget her…

And that really broke her heart.

She wished that the girl would just learn to accept her, succumb to the fact that her mother had already departed from this world - _move_ on, but…the brunette was a _very_ stubborn child. Being accepting and understanding probably wasn't on her top-ten list of important things to do…

Oh well…one can dream, can't they?

Mr. Ishtar began to clap his hands, silencing everyone who had been talking. Tea and Ishizu stopped playing their game and looked over at the tall, robed figure as he began to speak in his deep, raspy voice: "Since Tea has deemed herself worthy of the Millennium Bracelet, I think it's safe to assume that she is _more_ then welcome to permanently reside with us. Who agrees with me?"

There were synchronized shouts of, "Yes!" and "I agree!"

The head tomb keeper smiled and looked down at Tea. "So what do you say? Would like to stay with us? We would be honored to have you, my Queen…"

Tea gasped. Queen? Was she really a queen? But why? Ok, what did she miss _this_ time? She was always missing stuff. Maybe it had to do with the bracelet she was wearing. As she looked down at her wrist, she noticed that there were two tiny words written across the golden band in a weird language that she didn't seem to recognize. She held her wrist up to Lyra, hoping she'd be able to read it to her, but stopped short. Wait a minute…she _could_ read it. Even though she had never seen those kinds of letter and words before, she _still_ understood them as clear as day…

They read: _Anzu_ _Mazaki_.

"Who's Anzu?" Tea asked still looking at her wrist. A numerous amount of murmurs spread throughout the room.

'She can read the ancient scriptures…this is amazing,' Lyra thought. 'She must really be the reincarnated queen!'

"That would be you, my dear," Mr. Ishtar said standing up straight. "Or at least who you once were - ah, well, you'll learn soon enough. That is, if you would like to stay down here with us…would you?"

Live down here? In this hole? Which wasn't really all that bad? Tea thought for a moment. "If I stay…am I stuck here forever?"

The robed man didn't answer her at first. He was too busy instructing the other Tomb Keepers to leave because their presence was no longer needed. He then turned around and walked over towards her. "What was that, my dear?"

"She's afraid that if she stays here, she won't ever be able to leave," Lyra pointed out. Tea looked up at her and nodded sadly. "Yeah, what about Auntie Gardner?"

"You may visit her whenever you wish," Mr. Ishtar replied smiling. Miss. Gardner was Tea's aunt. She lived in Japan at the time, trying to run a newly opened branch of the Holiday Inn _(A/N: Don't own that either) _within Domino City. She was Tea's last living relative; her American father had died long before she was born.

"REALLY?" the young girl cried.

"Does that mean you'll stay?" Ishizu asked hopefully. Tea nodded her head. Yeah, she was gonna stay…but what about Lyra?

"Can Lyra stay too?" Tea asked clinging to her arm. The golden-eyed woman looked down at her in surprise. Had she heard her correctly? Cause she had been under the impression that Tea hated her! Where ever did this sudden burst of adoration come from?

She smiled. "No, honey. I will go back and live with my mother, but I promise I'll visit you often!" She watched Tea slowly lower her head. Oh wow…she looked really upset. Was she really going to miss her that much? Well, if that was the case, something had to be done.

"Hey Tea?" The little girl slowly raised her head and looked up at her guardian. "How about whenever you decide to visit Auntie Gardner, I'll be the one to escort you to Japan. We can visit her together!"

Tea's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Of course!"

"Come on, Tea! Let me show you around," Ishizu said, pulling on her arm.

"Okay…" Just then, she remembered that little boy from around the corner…did he live down here too? "Hey, 'Shizu? Who was that boy I saw?"

Ishizu gave her a confused look. "Boy? What boy are you…oh! You must mean my brother, Malik."

"Your brother?"

"Yes. Would you like to meet him? He's kinda shy."

"Umm…okay." Before she left with Ishizu, she turned around and gave Lyra a hug. "You know what?" she began. "You were the best tem-po-rary mommy I ever had!"

Lyra was quite taken aback by this. It was strange how this girl had gone from hating her to loving her in just one short night. "And you were the best temporary daughter I ever had!" She let go of her and smiled. "Goodbye my little Tea…Mr. Ishtar…Odeon." She then quietly mouthed to the men, "Take care of her." With one last wave to Tea, Lyra exited the lair, closing the hatch behind her.

Well, there was no turning back now. She was going to live down here even if it killed her! But she was a queen, remember? Queen's were fearless! Queens could do anything!

"Come on, let's go meet Malik!" Ishizu urged as she continued to tug on her arm.

As the two ran off, Odeon turned to his master and said, "If you'll please excuse me as well, there is much work that I have yet to finish." He bowed low before following the girls out of the room.

This left Mr. Ishtar to think for a moment. Sure, Tea and Malik were going to grow up together, but that didn't mean anything would possibly happen between the two…did it? He would under no circumstances allow that. Oh well. They were young. There _shouldn't_ be anything he had to worry about…

**xxXxxXxx**

Done:) Just so ya know, only this and one other chapter will take place in the earlier years. Most of it will occur in the present during BC. Oh, and since Tea is the reincarnation of Anzu, I suppose Yami is most likely going to fall in love with her forming a Yami/Tea/Malik triangle. I hate triangles…they confuse me. (-.-u) Whatever. Guess I'll just have to wing it. Okay, now. Tell me whatchya guys think, okay? Hope this sounds interesting enough…it was actually _really_ fun to write!

And do ya know what I also noticed? That by blasting loud music, such as Good Charlotte, while you write, you can think a hell of a lot better…or is that just me?

Later!


	2. Meeting and Leaving

Next chapter…already! I had no homework this weekend! SCORE! XD Before I begin though, I'd just like to say thanks to my reviewers…

**Ry-Shadow Tamer**: OMG, thank you so much for the B-day wish! Made my day!

**angelus2040**: Thanks for wishing me a happy birthday too! I'm surprised that people actually paid attention to that! U

**Voice-Sama**: I suppose if you want a triangle, I can put one in. And as far as far as blasting loud music goes, it's absolutely true, especially if you're a kinesthetic worker like me. I mean, I can't even do my homework without _some_ sound in the back round!

**AREZAL**: Yes, Good Charlotte does rock! And Evanescence too…can't forget about them, now can we?

**Reveal The Freak You Are**: First off, I love your name…it totally rocks! Second, ya like triangles, huh? Well, I guess I can put one in, just ta make ya happy!

And thanks to the rest of you too! 'Preciate it!

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh…know why? 'Cause I just discovered that a new persona exists within the series. Her name: Rebecca. Her obsession: a teddy bear that she enjoys having in depth conversations with…--"

**xxXXxxXxx**

**Chapter 2**: Meeting and Leaving

"Ow! 'Shizu, you're hurting me!" Tea cried as her newfound friend continued to drag her through the darkened tunnels of the secretive lair. "Why are you pulling me so hard? I can walk by myself, you know!"

Ishizu rolled her eyes. This girl's constant complaining was _really _beginning to get on her nerves. "Maybe it's because you walk too Ra damn slow! We'd never get anywhere if I allowed you to take your sweet time! Now stop being such a baby…we're almost to my brother's room."

Tea narrowed her eyes. Oh no she _didn't_…"HEY! You can't talk to me like that! I'm a queen, remember!" She yanked her arm out of her grasp. "I demand an ay-pologee!"

Ishizu sighed as she turning to face the whining girl. "That'll be enough, Tea. I said we're almost there, so quit your bickering…it's starting to _annoy_ me!" She then spun back around and proceeded down the hall. "Besides, you _were_ the one who wanted meet him after all…"

"What!" Tea screeched as she ran to catch up. This long and boring journey had been **_completely_** her idea! What the heck was she talking about!

"You're a stupid liar!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"No."

"Yes!'

"Don't think so."

"I THINK SO!"

Ishizu laughed. It was kinda funny how they had only known each other for a total of what, two hours? And they were already quarrelling like sisters! She had always wanted a little sister, regardless of the fact that they could be extremely irritating at times…take right now for instance.

"Oh, just shut up and come on. It's only a few more feet," she replied, retaking the girl's hand within hers.

Tea was a bit shocked by her sudden change in attitude, but decided to let it go. What was the point in arguing with someone who wasn't going to argue back?

They continued to walk in silence, and the further they went, the harder her heart began to pound. Was she scared? No, that wasn't it. Maybe she was nervous. She was always feeling nervous before she met new people. Then again, maybe it was just because she was about to meet this particular boy…there was something about him that made her feel really strange. It was almost as if she met him before, but the encounter had occurred too long ago for her to remember…

"Here we are," Ishizu said, stopping in front of a tall, wooden door. "Malik's room." She knocked a couple of times and called out, "Hey Malik, you in there? There's somebody I want you to meet!"

There was no answer at first, but a few seconds later, a soft murmur could be heard from the other side. Tea couldn't make out what he was saying from where she was standing, but Ishizu must have because she retorted, "Well open up then! …What do you mean, _no_!"

As dark haired girl continued to argue with her brother through the door, Tea began to grow rather impatient. She had just walked what felt like miles, and for what? To listen to a brother and sister argue about opening a stupid door? This was definitely not worth her time…

"Malik! I'm not going to ask you again! Now open this door or I'll - hey!" Ishizu glared down at the girl who had just insolently shoved her off to the side. "What do you think you're doing?"

Tea ignored her and began to frantically pummel the door with her fists. "HEY YOU IN THERE!" she screamed. "OPEN UP!"

Ishizu gaped at her lack of self-control. What in the world could have possibly possessed her to act in such a vulgar manner? More importantly, why was it that as every second passed, this sweet an innocent girl was becoming more and more obnoxious?

"IF YOU DON'T OPEN UP IN ONE SECOND, I'LL-" Tea was cut off as the door disappeared from in front of her, causing her to lose her balance and fall directly on top of someone.

Oopsies…

"Tea!" Ishizu cried as lunged forward to help her up. "Are you ok?"

Once Tea had regained her composure, she irately stood up and pushed the Egyptian girl away, blushing like mad. "I'm fine," she spat bitterly, glaring down at the boy. Why did he have to open the door _right_ then? Did he do that on _purpose_? Wait, what was she saying! Of _course_ he did! All boys were nothing more than rowdy jerks, whose main goal in life was to torture innocent little girls like her!

Malik looked up at her with a confused expression. He didn't know why she was so mad at him, but he just assumed that it was some "weird girl thing" because his sister would often yell at him for no apparent reason as well.

He leisurely lifted himself off the ground and brushed off his beige-colored robe. "Sorry about that. I was busy doing something." He scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "My name's Malik. What's yours?"

Tea gave him a weird look. Ok…_what_ just happened? Why was he being so nice to her? This _completely_ contradicted her previous theory about boys' tendency to have unruly behavior.

She let out a long sigh. Oh, never mind. Might as well go with the flow, right? Besides, maybe Malik just happened to be one of the few _decent_ boys that were lying around…you know, the ones that were really, _really_ hard to find? Cause technically, she'd never really know unless she gave him a chance, so…

Why the hey?

She smiled timidly. "My name's Tea. Nice to meet you."

'Well, that went unusually well…' Ishizu thought happily. 'Lucky – OH NO! I completely forgot to fold the laundry like father had asked me to do _three_ _hours_ ago! Better go do it now before he finds out!' She then quickly whirled around and ran out of the room.

Tea didn't notice the girl's absence until she heard the slamming of a distant door. Her eyes went wide in trepidation as they wandered over towards the empty doorway…where did she go?

"'Shizu? 'Shizu, where are you!" she cried as she ran to the entryway. She stuck her head out of the room and whirled it in both directions, hoping to see some sign of the girl, but she had already disappeared from sight. Tea bit her lower lip as hot tears began to well up in her eyes. This was great…_just_ great! She was going to cry…_again_, as much as she didn't want to. It was just that being alone in such a foreign place was…_scary_. She tightly wrapped her arms around her body as her tears slowly descended her rosy cheeks.

She didn't like to be alone.

All of a sudden, she felt someone gently place their hand on her shoulder and say in a soft and reassuring voice, "It's okay. Don't cry. If you'd like, I can give you a tour of this place; introduce you to people!" Tea slowly pivoted to face the young boy she had just met. Hey, she had forgotten he was there…

She sniffed a couple of times and placidly wiped her watery, blue eyes on her sleeve. "R-Really?"

He nodded his head and smiled. "Sure. Come on. I can even show you to your room." He then carefully took her by the hand and led her out of his room and down the darkened hall.

She smiled sheepishly. Ok, so maybe it wasn't true…_not_ all boys were stupid, immature jerks…

**xxXXxxXxx**

Over the next seven years, Malik and Tea became the best of friends. The two were virtually inseparable…that is, unless Lyra came to take Tea away to Japan. Malik _despised_ that woman's monthly visits with a passion. It's not that he hated her…no, that wasn't it at all because she happened to be a very nice young lady. It was her presence that he loathed…her invasion.

For her arrival meant that Tea was going to be leaving him alone for multiple weeks while he would be forced to sit and study the ancient text of his dead ancestors. Can you say _boring_? He desperately wanted to go with her, but each time he asked, his father's reply would always be a short, curt "_no_." He would say that his so-called "_studies_" were more important. Yeah, and people preferred to eat chopped liver over ice cream…

So he would watch her leave, wait for her to return, watch her leave again, wait for her return, leave, return, leave, return and so fourth. It was a vicious, never ending cycle that would continue until the incursion of the Pharaoh himself, which for all he knew could take another _thousand_ years…

The first time Tea left, she had brought back some fun accessories for the lonely boy since he had been unable to leave with her. Yet upon her arrival, Mr. Ishtar had her bags checked before she was permitted to renter the lair. Upon finding the all of the "foreign objects," the head tomb keeper warned her never to bring things like that home again or else she would suffer _severe_ consequences. Why? Because they would supposedly _distract_ his son from learning the proper material that every tomb keeper was required to know.

It was a nice try, but his father _obviously_ didn't know Tea all that well. A nasty scolding to her was like a measly tap on the hand; she wasn't going to give up _that_ easily…

The next time she left, she managed to find a way to sneak the goodies into the burrow by cutting open the lining in one of her bags, stuffing the presents in there, and then sewing it back up again. That way, whenever Malik's father checked her bags from then on, he never found anything she brought (she just had to make sure that she purchase anything too bulky). As a _successful _result, Malik was able to get all kinds of fun stuff from holidays like Halloween, New Years, and Valentines Day…holidays he had never had the pleasure of celebrating before.

As the years went by, Tea continued leave and return, bringing her friend as many enjoyable possessions as she could. She just loved the look on his face whenever she showed him the gifts…it was a one of pure joy and happiness. She loved everything about that boy…he was the greatest friend a gal could have.

But who would have thought that the perfect friend for her wasn't on the surface, but rather deep underground, needing her as much as she needed him? A friend like that was too precious to lose, which is why she swore to ensure that they remained friends forever. But little did she know, that was _not_ going to be the case, for the day Malik turned 12 years of age, everything changed…

For the _worse_.

**xxXXxxXxx**

"Tea, wake up…come on, get up! Tea…Tea…TEA!" Malik whispered loudly as he frantically shook his sleeping friend.

The girl moaned a slurred, "5moreminutes," and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head in the process.

Malik grunted. This was not the time for sleeping…this was an emergency. Today was his 12th birthday, which was the _same_ day he was supposed to receive the Tomb Keeper's initiation. And that was _not_ supposed to be a quick and painless process…

"Tea please! Today's my 12th birthday, and you remember what happens on this day, don't y-" He was cut off as his friend bolted upright and screamed.

"OH NO! TODAY'S YOUR BIRTHDAY! I COMPLETELY FOR-"

Malik clamped his hand over her mouth. "SHHHHH!" he hissed. "Do you WANT father to hear you?" He had a fearful look in his eyes as he glanced back and fourth between her and the closed door, evidently making certain no one had heard.

Tea yanked his hand off her mouth and narrowed her eyes. "What's _wrong_ with you? Today's your _birthday_! There's _nothing_ unethical about yelling on someone's birthday! It's like…a _rule_!" She crossed her arms and gave him a stern look, but Malik ignored this and continued to nervously glance back at the door.

"Shhh! Hush, would you? Father mustn't hear!"

Her aggravated expression slowly faded and was replaced with a dismal frown. Was he feeling okay? His abnormal behavior was beginning to scare her…"Malik? Are you…okay?" She tenderly placed her hand on his shoulder.

He rapidly shook his head as hot tears consumed his vivid, lavender eyes. "No Tea, it isn't…not at all."

Oh Ra. He was…_crying_? But how? He _never_ cried! EVER! And to make matters worse, today was his birthday! Something was up…but what?

'Aw man, what have I missed this time?' she thought miserably, cursing her persistent tendency to be utterly oblivious. Aloud, she said, "Malik, it's gonna be okay. Just tell me what's wrong."

"Don't you remember, Tea?" he asked as he ran over to the door, crouched low to the ground, and peeked underneath. "Today is also the day that I am to receive the Tomb Keeper's initiation…" He slowly lifted himself off the ground and stared at the floor with great interest. "It's the first day of the rest of my dark and lonesome life."

Tea stared back at him in shock, her mouth slightly ajar. How could she have forgotten? This was the day that he had been dreading for the past _six_ years! She was about to respond when Malik held up his hand.

"No…I don't want you to say anything. Just listen…" She reluctantly nodded and lowered her gaze to her lap.

"I…I told Odeon that I was too frightened to get a massive tattoo on my back that portrayed the secret of the Pharaoh's power - one we _still_ aren't even sure exists. That's when he offered to ask my father if he could have it done to him instead of me; you can only guess what his answer was…"

He paused for a short moment, leaning his forearms and head against a nearby wall. "I overheard father yelling at him for even _suggesting_ that be spared the mark. After that, I ran and hid. The other keepers have been searching for me since while Ishizu has been trying to lead them astray. I can't hide forever, though. I can't…"

He gritted his teeth as bitter anger and remorse accumulated within his throat. "I can't hide…they'll find me anyway - Ra, why must I be such a coward?" He curled his hands into tight fists and began pounding them against the solid stone as salty tears effortlessly trailed down his tanned cheeks. "Dammit Ra, why does it have to be me! What have I done to deserve such a dismal life as this! Why, Ra? I just don't under- damn you, Ra! DAMN YOU!"

Tea rushed over to him and tenderly wrapped her arms around his morose form, gently resting her forehead against his back. The looming anticipation that he had to endure all those years must have been so traumatizing…so _painful_. She wished she could feel it…share his pain…take away part of the burden…

"Don't worry, Malik. I'll promise to be at your side the entire time."

He roughly pulled away from her comforting embrace and shook his head. "No, you don't understand…it gets worse." He wiped his lavender orbs on his sleeve before he continued. "They've found all the gifts you've been giving me over the past few years…and when I say '_all_ of it,' I mean _all of it_."

A sickening knot formed within the brunette's stomach. "Oh _no_…"

Malik nodded and took her by the hands. "He says you're leaving as soon as they finish the preparations necessary to begin my initiation - but I won't let them!" He slowly shook his head as he gave her hands a soft squeeze. "No….they can't take you away from me. They can't…they just - oh Ra, what am I saying! They can take you away and they will! We're powerless against them!" He pulled her body in closer to his and protectively wrapped his arms around her petite form. "Dear Ra, they're coming, Tea…they're coming to take you away from me!"

Ok, now it was _really_ beginning to sink in…the reality of it all. Hot tears slowly trickled down her flushed cheeks and soft sobs emitted from her dry throat. The nightmare was real…she was leaving. She was always fearful that a day like this would come, and now that it finally had she found herself completely unprepared. What were they going to do? Were they really going to send her to live with her aunt while Malik was forced to live down here for the rest of his life? NO! They couldn't do that…there had to be another way…

A small smirk crossed her pursed lips. Wait a minute, there _was_ another way…a _magical_ way…

**xxXXxxXxx**

As Tea had grown older, she discovered that her bracelet contained many secret powers, most of which she believed were unknown…_even_ to the tomb keepers themselves. First she learned that she could cause a colossal, golden shield to emerge from within the eye in the center of her bracelet, just like the Green Lantern could produce one from his ring. How? She had no idea. It was almost as if it were _protecting_ her or something…

It happen when a small group of nasty kids ganged up on her while she was visiting her aunt one time – boys mostly, angry that she had _easily_ beaten their leader in a game of Duel Monsters. They actually had the audacity to accuse her of cheating, and when she denied it, they demanded to examine her deck for proof. When she refused to hand it over, they cornered her in the large alley behind her aunt's hotel, grinning and sneering. When her back hit a wall, she shrunk down into a crouching position, covered her face with her hands, and cringed, half-expecting to meet a gruesome end. But then, just before she was touched by their revolting hands, this huge, golden light sprung fourth from the center of her bracelet, shoving her pursers backwards and into the opposite wall behind them.

It was fun trying to explain _that_ situation to the cops, considering she was the only child that had made it out of the alley _conscious_…

Tea also discovered that if anyone touched her item with the intention of taking it, her bracelet retaliated with an angry shock that burned whatever it touched. She discovered this when one of the tomb keepers wanted to take it off her wrist against her will. The damage inflicted on his hand was so bad that it needed amputation, but since Malik's father refused to send him to the surface where he would receive a proper operation, it remained a part of his body. Alas, that foolish tomb keeper had been sick ever since.

If there as one thing anyone learned from either of the two incidents, it was that Tea was the _soul_ wearer of the item.

She was its keeper.

It was her protector.

And there were no exceptions.

**xxXXxxXxx**

Tea tiptoed over towards the door, opened it up a crack, and peeked out. No one was in sight, but that didn't mean that they weren't nearby. She motioned for Malik to follow her. They couldn't stay in her room any longer because the others would most likely search it…

They stealthily scurried out of the room and turned left, bare feet padding softly against the cold, stone floor. Finding a hiding place would be easy, that much she knew for sure. It was convincing Malik's father to allow her to stay that was going to be difficult. That's kind of why she half hoped they'd be running around in circles long enough for her to think of something…

"Where are we gonna go?" Malik whispered vociferously as he dashed down the hall after her.

She smiled sheepishly. "I'm really sure yet."

He smirked. "Thanks for being truthful."

She stopped abruptly at the end of the hall and poked her head around the corner. Malik arrived a few seconds after and glanced over her shoulder in the opposite direction. No one appeared to be in sight, so they felt that it was safe to proceed. They were about to run around the corner, but froze as they heard a familiar voice approaching.

"Crap, it's my father! We'd better hide…now!"

"Are you sure?" Tea asked questionably as she carefully poked her head out again. Before she could get a good glimpse of anything, she was roughly pulled back and whirled around to face two, penetrating violet eyes.

"Are you _crazy_?" Malik hissed, tightening his grip on her arms. "Do you _want_ us to get-"

"Ishizu! Release me this _instant_!"

The two exchanged frightened looks. Malik had been right…he _was_ coming, but he didn't seem to be alone…

"Quickly!" Malik cried. He pushed her over towards one of the tall, stone statues that lined the hall on either side. "Hide behind that! I'll hide over here!"

She did as she was told while Malik ducked behind a similar statue on the opposite side of the hall. He waved his hand in order to grab her attention and mouthed something along the lines of, "don't peek." She rolled her eyes. He should have known by now that you just couldn't teach an old dog new tricks.

When he was no longer watching her, she furtively stuck her head out a couple of centimeters and watched as Mr. Ishtar passed by, vaguely spotting Ishizu's obscured body on the other side of his tall, muscular frame. She was pulling on his arm, insisting that they turn around, but he merely dragged her along, completely ignoring her every plea.

"But father, you don't seem to understand! Tea didn't mean to disobey you! She was merely trying to prevent Malik from feeling left out since he wasn't permitted to leave like she was! Do you empathize what I'm saying? Tea isn't to blame because she didn't _do_ _anything_ wrong!"

Without warning, Mr. Ishtar whirled around and struck the girl with the back of his hand, knocking her to the ground. "Shut up, you stupid girl! I've heard quite enough of your pathetic attempts to save your friend! I've already made up my mind…she leaves _today_!"

A vicious anger rose within Malik as he watched his sister fall helplessly to the ground. How _could_ he? That girl was his daughter…his own flesh and blood, and he struck her down like she was some lowly _slave_. This wasn't fair…how were they supposed to protect themselves from their own _father_?

"Father please!" he heard her cry. "You must listen to me! You must -" SMACK.

"No, you will listen to _me_!" he roared as he retracted his hand. "I want you to stop protecting those fools and start helping me! Tea has been disobeying my rules for years, knowing full well that she'd be severely penalized if ever caught. I will not tolerate such insolent behavior, which is why I have decided that she _will_ be exiled from this clan!"

The throbbing of Malik's heart amplified with each second passed, his hearing fading and vision blurring as the sensation spread throughout his entire body. He had never felt so enraged in his entire life…so resentful…_infuriated_. How could his father have the audacity to do what he has done to his family? And how could he do it without showing any sign of remorse? What kind of _monster_ was he?

"But-"

"SILENCE! I've just about had _enough_ of your disobedience, young lady! One more word out of you, and you'll be banished to your room for the next three days with access to nothing more than the clothes on your back!"

_Father_. He was unaffected by his wife's death, he forced his son to commit to a life that involved living underground indefinitely, he inflicted pain on his _own_ daughter, and worst of all…he was trying to separate two best friends. What in Ra's name made him think that he had the right to do that? He wasn't the Pharaoh…he wasn't Ra…

This just _wasn't_ fair…_none_ of it was…

_(soft sobs fill the air)_

"That is what happens to those that dare to cross me…_you_ of all people should know that."

Malik's lips slowly curved into a sadistic sneer as he succumbed to the devilish anger that continued to intensify within his heart. He eagerly fingered a jagged rock that lay at his side as he contemplated the perfect revenge that would satisfy his dark need to destroy…to _kill_…

Suddenly, a soft voice entered his ears. "Oh my Ra…"

Tea?

The pounding immediately ceased and was replaced with a soft ringing reverberation. His smirk faded as he glanced over at his auburn-haired friend. She was clutching her stomach and gnawing on her lower lip as hot tears streamed down her delicate face.

"Oh my Ra…" she repeated, her eyes never leaving the pitiful scene before her.

He gasped and quickly shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? Had he really just considered _murdering_ his own father? He looked down at the sharp rock in his hand. What was happening to him? It felt like he had almost lost all self-control…

Dear Ra…if Tea hadn't spoken up when she had…

He took in a few deep breaths in an effort to slow the rush of adrenaline that was still pulsating through his veins and quietly tossed the rock aside. He had to be careful…that feeling was _too_ _real_ to ignore…

"Now, get off your lazy ass and help me track those two rats down! The initiation is to begin in exactly one hour from now, so we need to work fast!" Malik slowly looked up to see his father disappear from sight. He then waited a few seconds before rushing to his sister's side.

"Ishziu?" he whispered as he knelt down beside to her. "Are you…?"

She slowly lifted her head to reveal a bruised face and teary eyes. "I'm fine," she replied morosely. "Just fine."

He frowned and gently caressed the discernible mark on the side of her face. "You lie…"

Tea ran out from her hiding place and joined Malik at her side. "Oh Ishizu, you're bleeding!"

She shrugged and wiped the crimson liquid on her sleeve. "That doesn't matter…what does is that you two get away from here. I'll hold him off while you two try to formulate some sort of plan."

Malik angrily shook his head. "There's no way that I'm going to allow you near him after what he just did to you!"

Ishizu growled and irately pushed him away. "Malik, shut your mouth and do as I say! This _isn't_ the time for arguing! Now I need you to take Tea somewhere safe while I go try and knock some sense into our wicked father, okay?"

Tea nodded in agreement. "She's right. We gotta get outta here before…" Her voice faded off as she lowered her sorrowful gaze to the floor. "You know what I mean."

Yeah, he knew what she meant, but still. He couldn't leave his sister alone without _some _sort of protection. She was completely powerless against their father, especially since _he_ had reinforcements. It was like a kitten taking on elephant…

A _herd_ of elephants…

"But what about you? We can't just leave you alone!"

"I'll be fine," she assured him as she stood up from the ground. "I've still got Odeon on my side. Now get going you two! Before he decides to return!" She then bolted off in the direction Mr. Ishtar had gone, disappearing around the next corner.

Tea gave his hand a soft squeeze. "Come on. Let's…" Her voice trailed off.

"Alright," he replied numbly "Guess I gotta give her more credit, huh? She's definitely gotten tougher over the years…bet I know why too." He grinned as his glanced over in her direction, half expecting to see her imitating his amused expression, but she wasn't. His smile slowly faded.

All of the color had drained from her face, her mouth was slightly agape, and she was staring in utter shock and horror at something that was behind them.

"Tea?" he asked nervously. "Are you-"

"Okay? No, I don't believe she is, my boy…"

_Oh_ _shit_. He really should have seen this one coming…

He slowly turned around to face the last person he wanted to see…_his father_, and he wasn't alone. He was accompanied by two _enormous_ men, which he could only assume were his and Tea's _personal_ escorts.

Mr. Ishtar grinned wolfishly. "You know, I had a feeling that you two would fall for my little trap…children are _so_ _easy_ to fool and manipulate."

Malik growled. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"He means that we took the bait," Tea's irate voice retorted. "Isn't that right, Mr. _Ishtar?_" She spat out his name like it was a bad taste in her mouth.

The head tomb keeper merely laughed. "My, aren't we a smart little girl."

Malik was still confused. "Wait, what bait?"

His friend took in a deep breath before answering. "Ishizu…she was the bait."

Malik whirled his head in his father's direction. If looks could kill, Mr. Ishtar would be one _dead_ man… "You _struck_ your own daughter…you _hurt_ her…YOU IMPOSED _PAIN_ ON HER! And for what?" Malik cried, tightly clenching his eyes and fists. "To lure us out of our hiding places? To get what you wanted? Dear _RA_, father! She's my sister…how could you hurt my _sister_? Your _daughter_?"

"Because he's a monster, Malik. He has no heart, no soul…hell, I highly doubt the guy's even got a _brain."_

Mr. Ishtar snorted. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean, my dear child?"

She grinned. "My point exactly."

His smile faded and was replaced with a vicious scowl. "You know, I've had quite _enough_ of you, Miss Gardner. You have done nothing but cause trouble since you first set foot in my home. I refuse to tolerate such disrespectful behavior, which is why I have arranged for Lyra to come pick you up and take you back to Japan…_permanently._"

The two friends exchanged nervous glances. Why did it suddenly seem like this was going to be an impossible task? Like their predetermined futures were inevitable?

The robed man motioned to the muscular men behind him. "One of you to take her to up to the surface and wait for Lyra to arrive. The other, take my son down to the cellar so that we can _finally_ begin his initiation…"

The two men nodded and began to advance towards the two sitting ducks. Tea stepped out in front.

"What are you doing?" Malik whispered in her ear, clutching her shoulders with both hands.

She smirked. "Showing them what happens to those who mess with Lady Anzu…"

As the men neared, Tea held out her arms and closed her eyes. Now was a time that she desperately needed protection, so she assumed that the golden light would emerge from her bangle and engulf the two men that were trying to harm her. She still wasn't too sure how it worked, but wasn't that what had happened last time?

A few seconds passed and nothing happened. She slowly opened her eyes. The men were still making their way over towards the spot where she and Malik _unwisely_ stood.

"Now would be a good time, Tea!" Malik cried out from behind her.

Her heart began to pound as fear swept through her veins. What was wrong? Why wasn't her bracelet protecting her? Was it broken or something? Before she could figure out what the problem was, she felt a strong arm seize her wrist.

Oh Ra no…oh please Ra, don't let this be the end!

"NO!" she screamed as she tried to pull away, but the man was much too strong. She darted her gaze over towards Malik, but the other man had already seized him and was hauling him off in the other direction. "MALIK!" she screamed.

Struggling in his escort's grasp, the boy opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. The man was squeezing the living daylights out of him; he could barely breathe!

"NO!" she screamed again.

Malik watched in horror as his friend was dragged further and further away from him. This was it…she was really being taken away from him…

Forever…

"TEA!" he rasped, gasping for air. "No… please don't take her away from me! PLEASE DO-_OOMPH_!" A large hand covered his mouth and nose, cutting off his ability to both speak and breathe.

"I'm sorry that it had to be this way, but you gave me no other choice," Mr. Ishtar stated bluntly as he slowly followed after his captured son.

Tea continued to kick and scream and she was thrown over the guard's shoulder. "Malik!" she cried again. "Malik, I'm sorry that I couldn't stop them! My stupid bracelet…it betrayed me!"

Malik pulled, scratched, and bit the man's iron-like grip, but to no avail. He couldn't respond…

He was dragged around the corner while Tea was taken up a large flight of stairs that led to the surface. Before the lid to the lair was completely closed behind her, she managed to cry out, "Malik, I love you!" and then it was over. He was gone…trapped deep beneath the Egyptian sands forever…

**xxXXxxXxx**

I feel so evil…--U But don't worry…it'll get happier!

BTW, the rest of this story will occur in the present, and I'm gonna start off where Ishizu makes her little speech on television. I might refer back to Duelist Kingdom a few times, but it really isn't that important. Hope you liked this chapter! If you did, tell me, k?

BB!


	3. Six Years Later

Well, I must say that I am definitely surprised that I got this out so soon…you wouldn't believe how much crap I gotta do. --"

I'd just like to quickly thank **DarkPrincessPyro99, Rowenna MacLeod, **and **Itsuko **for wishing me a happy birthday! And thanks to my other reviewers too!

Disclaimer: Do I own YGO? Um….no, I don't. What in Ra's name could have possibly made you think that I did?

**xxXXxxXxx**

**Chapter 3**: Six Years Later…

You know what the greatest feeling in the world is?

When you roll over in bed on a sunny, Saturday morning, still half-unconscious, because you know, for a fact, that you don't have to get up for at least five or six more hours.

Unfortunately for Tea, there were a couple of guys that liked to call her hotel room every Saturday morning, without fail, thus preventing her from _ever_ experiencing this wonderful sensation…

How utterly tragic was that?

_Riiiiiiing!_

"AAAAGH - woah!" Tea screamed as she bolted upright. She had been sleeping awfully close to the edge of her bed so she ended up stumbling over the side, landing on the floor unharmed for the most part. That is, until the evil phone came tumbling down after her, landing directly on top of her head. "OW! WHAT THE FREAKIN' HELL?"

_Riiiiiing!_

The frantic girl twisted and turned as she struggled to free her tangled body from the fiendish clutches of her quilt. When she was finally able to, she sat up straight, panting heavily.

_Riiiiiiing!_

Oh Ra, did she really have to answer that? Cause she knew damn well who it was…they _always _did this to her on Saturday mornings. The only problem with ignoring them was that they'd most likely - no. They'd most DEFINITELY continue to call her back until she finally decided to pick up, meaning that there was no way in _hell_ she'd ever be able to go back to sleep. Aw shit, life _so_ wasn't fair…

_Riiiii-_

"**_WHAT_**?"

"A-he-he-_hem_…Gooooooooood mornin'! Dis is da one and only _Joey Wheeler_ callin' wit yer weekly Saturday mornin' wake up call! How's it goin' lil' Miss Sunshi-" _CLICK_.

Tea cursed irritably under her breath as she slammed the phone down on the receiver and slowly picked herself up off the floor.

Stupid boys…

**xxXXxxXxx**

Joey frowned as he removed the phone from his ear, muttering something along the lines of, 'stupid girls.'

"By the look on your face, I take it that she hung up," Yugi remarked bleakly.

He nodded dejectedly. "Damn, ya know dat woman _neva_ lets me finish. What's up wit dat?"

"Cause you're too slow, ya dimwit," Tristin teased, grabbing the phone from his hand.

The blonde gave his friend a weird look. "Too slow? What da hell is dat supposed ta mean!"

"It means what it sounds, dude. What's so hard to understand?"

In response, Joey scrunched up his face, stuck out his tongue, and repeated Tristin's words in a derisive tone: "_It means what it sounds, dude! Neh, neh, neh, neh, neh_!"

The pointy-haired boy slowly shook his head as Yugi and Bakura exchanged displeased looks. "You do realize that sounded _pretty_ damn lame…right?"

And so began yet another _beautiful_ Saturday morning…

Joey, Tristin, Bakura, and Yugi just loved coming to visit their snoozing friend at the Holiday Inn every weekend; they had been doing it ever since they had met her in the seventh grade. It began as a way to get the unsociable girl to hang out with them, and after a while, it became somewhat of a tradition that had yet to expire. Joey would call first, closely followed by Tristin and Bakura. When all of them failed, which they usually did, Yugi would call and somehow manage to get the stubborn girl to come downstairs. She _occasionally_ listened to Bakura, but Joey and Tristin…heh, they were just _wasting_ _their time_.

As Tristin waited for Tea to pick up, Bakura pointed to the left of them and whispered, "Uh-oh. Here _she_ comes!"

The boys whirled their heads in the direction he was indicating, just in time to see an angry woman with long blonde hair and vivid blue eyes hastily approaching them. She had her fists clenched tightly at her sides, eyes narrowed into tiny slits, and it looked as if steam was pouring fourth from her ears…

Whoo. _Scary_.

"How many times must I tell you boys **_not_** to use the phones behind the front desk! Use a pay phone or get off your lazy asses and go up to Tea's room! Ug, did you forget which floor it was again? Then ask! Just **_don't_** use those **_phones_**!"

The only one with the guts to verbally retaliate was Joey. "Sorry Alex – I mean Miss G, but it's just _so_ much funner ta call from dis phone!" He clasped his hands together and kneeled at her feet. "It makes us _feel_ special!" He glanced over at the other guys for some moral support, but none of them gave him any.

Some friends…

Miss. Gardner rolled her eyes. "Joseph Wheeler, that silly 'lil act of yours ISN'T going to work on me _now_, nor has it _ever_! And how may times have I told you _not_ to call me-"

"HEY TEA! WA-ZUUUUUUUP!" Tristin bellowed, interrupting the angry aunt in mid-sentence. "It's time to get - aw man! I really thought I had her that time!"

Alex slapped her forehead. "Why do I bother?" She was about the snatch the phone out of Tristin's hands when a lady from across the lobby called out to her for assistance. She sighed as she placidly massaged the bridge of her nose with her first finger and thumb. "Alright, you boys have exactly _three _seconds to finish playing your asinine, little game. I don't want you to make her yank the phone chord out of the wall like last week, cause little do _you_ know, the repairs came out of MY pocket!" With that, she quickly scurried away, her long blonde hair fluttering behind her.

"Damn…she's _hot_," Joey remarked, a perverted grin tugging at the corners of his lips. Bakura rolled his eyes and re-dialed Tea's room number.

"Be nice, Bakura," Yugi warned. The white-haired boy held up his free hand, slowly nodding his head as if to say, "I _know_ what I'm doing…"

Yugi laughed and rolled his eyes. Right…

**xxXXxxXxx**

Tea collapsed onto her bed after she had hung up on Tristin. She was physically and emotionally drained, but knew damn well that she wasn't going to be able to succumb to her exhaustion for the remainder of the morning...at least not with _them_ downstairs.

Speaking of "them"…

A wide, toothy grin gradually found its way onto her semi-parted lips, and a soft, irrepressible giggle emanated from her throat. Okay, so she had to admit that there were certain aspects of the boys' weekly intrusions that she enjoyed…only _certain_ ones though. In others, they reminded her of the friends that she used to have back in Egypt…ones she knew that she was never going to see again…

You wouldn't see her crying anymore, though…nah, she was way past that little phase. When she first moved to Japan six or seven years ago, however, there wasn't a single day that went by where eyes weren't lustrous with tears. But then she met the four of them. It was their constant request, demand, and desire to become her friend that ultimately ceased her tears from flowing. They may have all been guys, super _immature_ ones might she add, but they were still her best buds…the ones who saw past her shields, barriers, and defenses…the ones who took the chance to get to know her for who she was.

A soft n' fuzzy object brushed up against her hand that was dangling over the side of the bed, removing her from her thoughts.

A temperate smile crossed her lips. "Hey Bella…wassup?"

In response, her tiny black kitten jumped up onto her bed and curled up next to her, purring happily. She grinned. It was kinda cool being the only one in the entire hotel that was permitted to own an animal.

_Riiiiiiing!_

She glanced over at the white Princess phone that sat atop her nightstand and sighed. Eh, what the hell. It may have only been Bakura's turn, but she was kinda getting sick of listening to that Ra damn ringing…

_Riiiii-_

"I'm comiiiiiing," she sang into the mouthpiece, hanging up before the boy could even speak. She smiled as she gently stroked her cat's silky fur. "Hey Bella…do I have great friends or what?"

**xxXXxxXxx**

"Okay…" Bakura replied slowly to the disconnected line as he removed the phone from his ear.

Yugi intuitively held out his hand. "Alright…fork it over."

"No need," his white-haired friend replied proudly. "She's coming."

Yugi grinned as he glanced over at Joey and Tristin, though they didn't appear to be as amused as he was. "Well, it looks like Bakura managed to clean up the mess you two caused before I was needed. Great, huh?"

Tristin lowered his eyebrows and scrunched up his nose. "Yeah…it's great. Wonderful. Spectacular. Magnificent. Superb…" He paused for a moment, his mouth still slightly ajar. He seemed to be at a loss for words…_literally_.

Joey slowly shook his head. "Aw, come on man. You forgot splendid, marvelous, brilliant, outstandin', superlative, and glorious." He laughed. "Geeze buddy, have ya eva heard of a thesaurus? No? Well, you might wanna consida getting' one. Dey can be very helpful in random instances like dese…"

The other three looked at the blonde like he was some sort of bizarre alien from the planet Zorg, which, might I add, doesn't exist _anywhere_ within the entire solar system, galaxy, or universe.

"Maybe he's going through some sort of freakish phase," Tristin commented without removing his eyes from his blonde-haired friend. "I've heard some uncanny stories about morons who became ultimate geniuses over night…"

The other two nodded in agreement, unable to supply answers of their own.

"Hey, are ya implying dat I'm _stupid_ or sumthin'?" the New Yorker spat angrily. "CAUSE I _AIN'T_ STUPID!

Tristin laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Ok, I take back what I said."

- **Half an hour later** -

_Ding!_

After a long ride down 15 floors, the elevator doors finally opened, releasing a rather weary-looking brunette into the hotel lobby. She spotted Yugi, Bakura, and Tristin chatting happily at one of the tables next to the café, but didn't see Joey. He was probably off trying to mooch food from poor, unsuspecting, not to mention _paying_, customers…

The pig.

"Hey guys!" she called as she approached, earning a couple of waves. "Sorry I'm-"

"Well, look who _finally_ decided ta show up!"

Tea sighed and rolled her eyes as she turned to face her angry, blonde-haired friend. "Good morning to you too, Joey."

The boy gaped at her for a few seconds and then vigorously shook his head. "Oh no, we're way past da morning. What da hell were ya doin' up dere anyway? Ya couldn't have _possibly_ been primpin' cause, well…" He eyed her up and down. "Ya don't exactly look like yer-"

"_Joey_!" Yugi cried as he rushed over with Tristin and Bakura. "I'd stop right there if I were you!"

Stopping would've been nice, but it was already too late. He had already said enough to articulately state his _vindictive_ point. Tea growled, stiffening her arms at her sides. Of all the times he could have chosen to piss her off, he just had to choose _this_ one, didn't he? That moron was _so _lucky that Yugi had a brain, otherwise he would _so_ be dead right now! "And just _what_ in Ra's name is **THAT** supposed to mean?"

Sure, she wasn't dressed for the Grammies, but it's not like she was actually _going_ there, so what did it matter? She was dressed like she always was in faded blue jeans that rested low on her hips, a tight white tank top that depicted a cute picture of the Powerpuff Girls, and an open blue zip up with the sleeves rolled up half way. And to top it all off, her hair was up in a messy ponytail and a black backpack rested inert on her shoulders.

Joey laughed nervously, slowly backing away from the angered girl. "Uh, nothin'?" He flashed her a sheepish smile and quickly changed the subject. He wasn't really up for being beaten up by a girl at the moment…Mai would most likely find some excuse to do that later. "So, uh, where do ya guys wanna go? I'm up for anytin', _especially_ anytin' dat Tea wan-"

"Oh, bite me!" she spat, hastily crossing her arms.

Joey took the hint and made a zipping motion across his mouth, taking a few more steps back. Yes, Wheeler, shutting up would probably be _smart_ right about now…

"How about we go out for breakfast?" Yugi suggested in the middle of a yawn. He hated getting up early in the mornings, but his persistent Yami _made_ him in the hopes that he'd catch some inward glimpses of the girl from within his soul room. Such a pervert…

"OH YEAH! I'M-" Joey began to holler, but stopped abruptly when he noticed Miss. Gardner glaring at him out of the corner of his eye. He quickly cleared his throat and finished by quietly saying, "Starvin'."

"Fine with me," Tristin said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I'll second that," Bakura added.

Tea looked over at the white haired boy and then quickly averted her eyes down to her bracelet. 'Thank Ra, it's not glowing…I am SO not in the mood for that overly cranky tomb robber right now…'

After becoming friends with the boys, she discovered that her bracelet possessed yet another power: the ability detect ancient spirits that resided within certain Millennium Items. The first time she realized that her bangle was capable of doing this was when Yugi entered a virtual duel against Kaiba. His Millennium Puzzle emitted an eerie glow that consumed his scrawny frame and replaced him with what appeared to be an older version of himself. It confused her as to why nobody made a big deal out of it because it was quite evident, at least to her, that his hair, eyes, voice, and size had _drastically_ changed.

The power had kicked in when she noticed that one of the golden diamonds on her bracelet had begun to glow and tug in Yugi's direction. It wasn't until the end of Duelist Kingdom that she and the others finally realized that this "other form" little Mouto would transform into was actually an ancient spirit…a _totally_ different being. In an effort to reduce confusion between the two, they decided to call him Yami. It was strange, but after this distinction was made, Tea often felt like she had once known this older version of her friend…maybe even _loved_ him. For whenever she happened to catch a good glimpse of his piercing, crimson eyes, violent chills would ascend her spine, sometimes remaining for hours on end.

She was unable to further research this inexplicable emotion once Pegasus withdrew from her spot in the finals by kidnapping her. He desired her bracelet, and after a few failed attempts to take it off of her wrist, he was forced to take her whole entire body along with it. She was just glad that he didn't try to cut off her hand or something…that wouldn't have been too cool. Whatever the case, she didn't like recalling the event and preferred if no one ever brought it up in front of her.

There was also another spirit that became notorious to Tea, except this one came from Bakura's Millennium Ring and didn't appear to be quite as _friendly_ as Yami was. It immensely enjoyed taking over Bakura's body by force and refused to leave, even after he had been banished to the Shadow Realm countless times. From the time that nasty spirit had sent all her friends' minds to that darkened territory, she was able to detect the evil being without even glancing at her bracelet. She could almost _feel_ his disconcerting aura as he neared…feel the pain that her friend was being forced to endure as he lay prisoner within his own body. That is why she was sure to torment the spirit in any way that she could, scaring him off most of the time with her cunning schemes and fiery temper.

Hell, sometimes she didn't even know why the blasted tomb robber even _bothered_…it only caused him pain and humiliation…

"Hey," a soft voice whispered in her ear. "Don't worry about him…I highly doubt he's gonna try to emerge for a while after what you did to him last time."

"Wha?" Tea asked, blinking a couple of times as she took in her surrounds. Where was she again? The lobby…yeah, that's right. Geeze, she sure knew how to space out. That's probably why she never heard a single thing that went on in physics class…

"Ya hear what I said?" Tea turned to face her white haired friend. "You don't have to worry. It's me."

She smiled. "Yeah, I know."

He smiled back. "Good…"

"Yo Tea, Bakura…are ya guys comin' or not? I'm hungry!" Joey whined from across the foyer.

"Hey, if I don't come, you have no ride. And if you have no ride, then _you_ _don't_ _eat_." She grinned as he crossed his arms and pouted. "So…I'm guessing Mai and Duke aren't going to be joining us, are they?"

"Nope…Mai's busy testing out one of Kaiba's new virtual games, and Duke is…uh…somewhere," Tristin said as he scratched his head.

"Correction: we never _asked_ Duke to come…you said not to," Bakura replied. "Why, I don't know. It's not like Serenity's going to be-"

"Bakura!" Tristin hissed through clenched teeth. He opened his mouth to continue, but decided against it. For all he knew, Alex was watching them like a hawk through one of the strategically placed security cameras. He quickly shook his head and turned towards Joey who didn't look too happy at the moment. "_Speaking_ of your sister, when's she gonna have that eye operation?"

"Wha? Oh, uh, soon! _Why_ do you ask? Ya ain't plannin' on visitin' her without my permission are ya?" Joey growled, pointing a finger at him. "Oh yeah, and I almost forgot…she says hi ta ya Tea."

"Oh, really? I should probably call her…" Tea replied with a perturbed look on her face. She shrugged it off. No need in working herself up anymore this morning. "Whatever…I'll do it later. See ya Alex!" she called out over her shoulder.

"Hey, how come _you_ get ta call her Alex?" Joey protested. "I asked if I could call her dat and she said no! What makes ya so special?"

Tea gave the others a weird look. They responded by slowly shaking their heads and rolling their eyes. An amused grin crossed her lips. Poor Joey…if only he could somehow manage to get a hold of another half a brain…

"Um, did you ever consider that it might be because I'm her _niece_?"

The blonde paused for a moment. "Uh…no, I don't believe I have." He scratched his head, smiling sheepishly.

"Ug, never mind him. Let's just go!" Tristin retorted, motioning towards one of the back doors.

"Have fun guys!" her aunt called from behind the counter. Tea waved as she and the four boys exited through the back entrance of the hotel, which led to the underground parking lot.

"Hey, uh, which car do ya got again?" Joey asked as he eyed the countless rows of parked cars.

"It's the silver Toyota Echo that's always parked in the first space," Yugi pointed out. "Why does this confuse you so much?"

"Cause. It's not like I can remember every little detail of every little thing," he answered as he folded his arms, not even realizing that he had just insulted himself. That's why everyone decided that it would probably be best to just drop it.

As they got in, Tea sat in the driver's seat, Tristin rode shotgun, and Joey, Yugi, and Bakura all crammed into the back seats.

"So what'll it be boys? Good Charlotte, or Evanescence?" Tea asked as she rummaged through her CD's.

"GC, woman!" Joey cried from the back.

Tristin nodded. "For once I'd have to agree ya, buddy."

She glanced back at Yugi and Bakura but they didn't seem to care one way or another. "Ok, Good Charlotte it is."

"Oh Tea, and I hope you brought your deck cause you owe _all_ of us a rematch!"

She smirked. Good ol' Yugi…he always had to insist, didn't he? "Why? So I can cream your asses all over again?" She laughed. "Fine with me."

"HEY! Ya didn't _cream_ our asses, ya just _beat_ dem," Joey corrected.

"Yeah, don't you think your being a little harsh?" Tristin added.

"Not really," Tea replied as the music began to play. "But you wish, don't you?" With that, she quickly revved the engine and drove off, knowing full well that this was going to be a _very _fun day…

**xxXxxXxx**

Not only was the day fun, it was awesome, regardless of all the ruckus Joey and Tristin may have caused as they fought over who would get to drive next. As if she was _actually_ going to let either of them handle her _only_ means of transportation.

_Yeah_ freaking _right_…

After breakfast, they all went to the movies to see the latest horror film, which closely followed by a late lunch and a trip to the park so that the "creaming" could begin. After conquering them all, Yami came out as a last attempt to tame the undefeated girl, but was unable. As Tea performed her little victory dance, the ancient spirit _insisted_ that he had let her win, but he couldn't fool anyone. She was the absolute bomb!

Yeah, Saturdays were the best…_especially_ when she had her friends with her.

After dropping off the last of them, Tea slowly drove home. She was exhausted and hoped more than anything that she would be able to sleep in tomorrow without any interruptions. But since the four of _them_ lived within a close proximity, that really couldn't be fully guaranteed.

She parked her car in her designated spot and dragged her tired body into the hotel lobby. It was pretty crowded with people coming and going, so she assumed her aunt was busy and didn't wish to be bothered. She shrugged, deciding to head upstairs and go to sleep.

And that's just what she did.

**xxXxxXxx**

"Tea?"

"…"

"Teeeeaaaa."

"……"

"Tea!"

"………"

"Oh, for the love of - TEA, WAKE THE _HELL_ UP"

"Wha?" the sleeping girl mumbled as her eyes shot open. "What the…?" She gently rubbed her blurry eyes with the palms of her hands, allowing her aunt's sinister expression to slowly come into focus. She smiled ingenuously. "Um…hi?"

"Do have _any_ _idea_ what time it is!" Miss Gardner cried.

"Uh…" Tea's eyes slowly wandered over to the clock. "It's about noon…wait, NOON! HOLY SHIT! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME?"

Alex quickly stepped back to avoid getting banged in the head as her niece bolted upright. "Um, I think I just did. Don't need you snoozing up in here all day. I'm sure you've got homework to do or something…how may more days of school have you got left now anyway? Like three?"

"Five…got finals next week," Tea replied as a wide yawn escaped her lips.

"So, doesn't that mean that you should be studying?"

She shrugged. "Probably."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Well, breakfast - well, to you it's breakfast, but to normal people it would be lunch - is on the kitchen table, and in case you were wondering I left the TV on _for a reason_. There's something on the news about the Domino Museum…they're apparently opening up a new segment that features a ton of rare Egyptian artifacts." She reached down and yanked the half-sleeping girl out of her bed. "Thought you might be interested."

"May-BE," Tea mumbled, pulling her arm out of her aunt's iron-like grip. "Thanks."

"Uh-huh. Well, I have to go now, but that doesn't mean that you can go back to sleep, okay?"

"Sure."

"I mean it Tea!" Miss Gardner scolded as she approached the front door. "Or I may be forced to call in reinforcements!" With that being said, she exited the room and shut the door.

Reinforcements…ha, ha, very funny. She stuck her tongue out at the closed door. Her aunt could be such an evil meanie at times.

She let out another yawn as she stretched her stiff joints and sighed. A delicious aroma reached her nostrils, tempting her to head over towards the kitchen instead of going back to bed. Decisions, decisions…

Her eyes meandered from her unmade bed, to the kitchen, and back again. Eh, she was feeling kinda hungry anyway, so why should she not indulge herself in whatever greasy meal had been cooked for her today?

She walked over towards the table and sat down, vaguely noticing the soft noise that was originating from the television that sat in the other room. As she placed a forkful of eggs into her mouth, she grabbed the remote off of the chair next to her and cranked up the volume, not bothering to glance up to see what was on.

"…and I have here with me the very Egyptian curator that made the museum's newest edition possible by providing us with all the ancient artifacts, paintings, and carvings you see behind me. Miss Ishtar?"

"Please," a mellow voice replied. "Call me Ishizu."

Tea's fork slowly slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. Wait a minute…

**_What_** did she say?

**xxXxxXxx**

Yeah! I'm done! Now ya'll know what ta do, right?

Later!


	4. Ishizu's Sad Story pt I

**_WOW! 30 REVIEWS!_** I never thought that I'd get that many after the third chapter! Thank you all so much!

Disclaimer: Nothing to own here…please proceed immediately through the designated exit, **_AFTER_** you read this chapter. Thank you.

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chap 4**: Ishizu's Sad Story (Part I)

Tea continued to stare at the television screen in complete shock and disbelief, her food long forgotten. Ishizu Ishtar…what in the world…what the hell was she doing in Japan? More importantly, what the hell was she doing outside the lair! Did this mean that Malik was out as well? If so, then where? When? Why? How? What in Ra's name was going on?

She hastily rubbed her blood-shot eyes as she desperately tried to think of a reasonable explanation for all of this. The Ishtars had sworn to protect the Pharaoh's tomb until his return. That, in theory, was supposed to occur 10 years after the queen reclaimed her bracelet. It had been approximately 12 years since _she_ received the Millennium Bracelet, meaning that if she _was_ in fact who the tomb keepers had thought her to be, then the Pharaoh would have already arrived. So…did that mean that the keepers had already fulfilled their purpose and were no longer required to live under ground?

She glanced back over at the television. Wait a minute…her former friend appeared to be wearing a Millennium item, but which one? She slowly made her way over to the screen and sat down in front of it, eyes transfixed on the stunning, gold necklace that the girl had around her neck. It was vaguely familiar, but she believed it to be the Millennium Tauk. She remembered seeing it once in Mr. Ishtar's office, along with the Millennium Rod, but she couldn't remember what sort of power each possessed. All she knew is that one predicted the future or retold the past, while the other was capable of controlling people's minds.

Her ears tuned back into the present as one of the news anchors began to speak. Ishizu had already disappeared from view. Damn…where did she go?

"Miss Ishtar is scheduled to be stationed here, at the museum, for the next few weeks or so as she prepares for the grand opening of her exhibit on the 21st of June. For more information on this, please call the toll-free number at the bottom of your screen or visit the museum's website at www . dcmuseum . org. Now back to you, Keiko…"

She was at the museum…Ishizu, the answer to all her enigmatic questions, was only a short drive away. She slowly reached over and shut off the television. It was evident that she wasn't going to get any answers by just sitting there, so what the hell was she waiting for?

She quickly jumped up, ran to her bedroom, and threw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. This was it then…she was going to visit her. If she didn't go now, her hundreds of looming questions would continue to accumulate, creating somewhat of a volatile atmosphere inside her brain. And that _definitely_ wouldn't be a good thing.

Upon spotting her black backpack, she shoved a couple of needed items within it and threw it over her shoulders, eyes darting over towards the clock. It was approximately 12:30…was the museum even open at this time? On a Sunday?

She nervously chewed on her lower lip as she exited her room. This ought to be real interesting…she hadn't seen this girl in what, six years? And what if Malik happened to be there with her? Then what would she do?

**xxXxxXxx**

'Good riddance!' the raven-haired woman thought angrily as the last of the reporters left. 'The media can be so bothersome at times - no. They're bothersome _all_ the time!'

She quickly whirled around to face the two men that were standing behind her. She said to them in a curt, Arabic tongue, "Please be sure that no one disturbs me until Mr. Kaiba arrives. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Miss Ishtar," one of the guards said with a quick bow.

"Good." With that, she turned to leave, but stopped suddenly. The eye in the center of her necklace began to glow and a vision flashed promptly before her eyes, causing them to go wide. "Oh my…"

"Miss Ishtar?" the other guard asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

A huge smile spread across the young woman's face as she gently ran one of her hands across her tauk's golden exterior, a soft giggle emitting from her throat. "I'm fine!" she chirped. "But…" Her face grew solemn as she turned back towards them and said, "An auburn haired girl with blues eyes will be arriving _before_ Mr. Kaiba. You are to let her in as well."

"Of course, Miss Ishtar," the first guard replied. The two men then quietly left the room.

Ishizu let out another soft giggle as she closed her eyes and whispered, "It's been a long time, Tea. It is rather fortunate that fate has decided to reunite us, for you are _just_ the person I had wished to see…"

**xxXxxXxx**

"Oh my Ra, COME _ON_ PEOPLE!" Tea screamed as she pounded on her horn. There she was, stuck in the center of a huge traffic jam with no way to turn around or get out. "RA DAMMIT!" She was getting no where fast, and to make matters worse she could feel her blood pressure beginning to skyrocket…

"Need…stress…reliever…_now_," she muttered through clenched teeth as she struggled to keep her cool. She reached into her box of CD's that lay on the seat next to her, pulled one out, and popped it in. "Thank _Ra_ for music. It's the only thing that keeps me sane now-a-days…"

Fifteen minutes went by and her car had barely moved an inch. And to make matters worse again, the fact that she had gotten too much sleep was beginning to catch up with her…_not_ good.

Just then, Tea noticed that they were coming up to another intersection. Well, if she wanted to get there sometime this millennium, this was her chance! "Just a little more…little more…little - FINALLY!" she cried as the traffic finally moved far enough along for her to turn right and escape down a different road.

It was only a matter of time now, but the anticipation was still vigorously eating away at her insides. She had a dire feeling that something bad was going to happen…either that, or she was just _super_ paranoid.

The huge parking lot was empty, permitting her to zoom from one end to the other and park rather quickly. So she had been right…the museum _wasn't_ open on Sundays. Now, the least she could do was hope that she'd be able to spot someone who was roaming around inside.

She quickly ran up to the front doors and peered inside. The only thing she was able to see was herself, staring right back at her. The doors appeared to be made out of a thick, one-way glass. How _convenient_…

'Guess it's time to avert to plan B,' she thought sighing. With that, she began to pound on the door as hard as she could, hoping someone would hear her before her hands fell off…

**xxXxxXxx**

Across from the museum's front doors was a long hall, and way down at the other end of stood two, tall, and burly Egyptian men. They were in the middle of having an important conversation about turbans and which of theirs was more in style, when they heard pounding emanating from the front door. They exchanged confused looks.

"What's that noise?"

"It could be Seto Kaiba…"

"You mean the CEO of Kaiba Corp that Miss Ishtar is expecting?"

"Oh no, I'm referring to the man who comes by every half hour to deliver the lady pasteurized milk. You know, the kind you can't get in Egypt?"

"Oh."

"Ug, you moron! I was just _kidding_! _Yes_, I mean Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp! Oh, why must I be forced to work with such an incompetent fool such as yourself!"

The other guard didn't seem to notice that his partner had just insulted him, for he exclaimed, "Oh wait! It could also be the girl that Miss Ishtar said would be arriving _before_ Mr. Kaiba!"

"True…"

"Well, shouldn't we go check then?"

The other guard sighed. "Why not?"

The two men cautiously approached the thick, glass doors. The pounding had long since ceased, but they could still see that someone was out there. They each took hold of a handle and pulled the doors open. The incompetent one was the one who spoke, his Japanese words coated in a thick, Arabic accent.

"The Museum is closed right now…can we help you?"

"It's about time…you guys opened!" Tea cried, leaning against the doorpost as she tried to catch her breath. "I need to…speak to…Ishizu…right now! It's an…it's an emergency!"

"What business do you have with her?" the same man asked.

"Hey, she could be the girl that Miss Ishtar wanted to speak to," the other guard whispered in Arabic.

"Yeah, but she doesn't really have brown hair…there are a lot of blonde streaks in it," the incompetent one whispered back.

"You stupid oaf! Miss Ishtar said that there was going to be a young lady arriving at about this time. I don't see any other girls standing around the premise, do you!"

As the two men continued to argue with one another, Tea's blood began to boil. Little did they know, she was fluent in Arabic and could understand _everything_ that they were saying. Of all the stupid things they could argue about…

'I…don't…have…TIME…FOR…THIS!' she screamed inside her head. "HEY!" The two guards stopped talking and turned to face her.

"Can we help y-"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, YOU _CAN_ HELP ME!" she boomed in Arabic, taking them by surprise. "It's super important that you let me in to speak with Ishizu! It's an emergency, and she's the only one who can help!" She then turned towards the incompetent one. "Oh, and FYI, MY HAIR _IS_ BROWN! Have you ever heard of 'highlights' ya dumb a-hole! Yeah, I didn't _think_ so!" She glared at him with fiery, azure eyes, breathing hard.

"I told you!" the more intelligent guard cried. "I was - wait a minute." He turned back towards Tea. "How is it that a girl like you knows Arabic?"

"Yeah!" the other one added. "You sure don't look it."

"Does it _really_ matter? No, it doesn't. Now, are you going to let me in or what? Cause in case you haven't noticed…I DON'T HAVE ALL MOTHER FRIGGIN' DAY!"

"Uh, of course!" the guards said simultaneously. They quickly stepped aside, allowing her to enter.

"Miss Ishizu is right down the here…this way," one of them said as they led her down the long corridor.

'What morons,' Tea thought angrily. 'I bet these two don't even know left from right!'

When they finally reached the door, one of the men knocked and said, "Miss Ishtar, your female visitor has arrived and requests your presence." Some muffled sounds could be heard from within, causing the man to nod his head. He turned back towards Tea. "She will see you now." With that, the two men turned and walked back towards the front doors.

'Bakas…' Tea thought as she watched them walk away. 'I wonder how they ever managed to get a job working from one of the most intelligent people I know!'

"I am sorry about all that…it is true that they can often appear as vacuous fools, but I still love them none the less."

Rented from her thoughts, Tea spun around to face a stunning woman with long black hair and blue eyes; an exact replica of her childhood friend that seemed to have grown up overnight.

"Ishizu?"

The girl gave her a weird look. "Don't tell me that you've forgotten what I look like _already_!"

A huge, toothy smiled crossed Tea's lips as she squealed and pulled her friend into a huge hug. "Oh my Ra, ISHIZU! I've missed you so much!" Ishizu laughed and hugged her back. "What are you doing here? Why are you outside the lair? Is he…" She slowly let the girl go and nervously glanced around, lowering her voice to a minimum. "Is Malik here with you?"

Ishizu sighed. "Come. I shall answer all your questions and more, but not here." She motioned for her to come inside. "This way-"

"But wait!" Tea cried, grabbing hold of her arm.

The young Egyptian whirled back around, her eyes full of concern and confusion. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry, but I must know - _right_ now…" She swallowed hard, furtively glancing in either direction. "Is your brother here with you?"

The woman smiled, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You miss him, don't you?"

The auburn-haired girl vigorously nodded her head. 'More than you could ever imagine…'

"Well I'm sorry, but he's not. Although he will be our main topic of discussion, so if you'll follow me, we can get started. Now come on." She gently took her by the hand and led her into a dimly lit room.

Tea silently followed, feeling only the slightest pang of disappointment and regret deep inside her heart. On the other hand, the fact that he wasn't with his sister made her feel somewhat uneasy. Then again, she was feeling quite paranoid at the moment, so maybe it was just her…

"You know Tea," Ishizu began as she closed the door behind them, "my necklace told me that you would be coming today."

"Wha?" she replied, giving her friend a puzzled look. "What did you say?" Dammit, she did it again! Was she really _that_ crappy of a listener?

Her elder friend giggled. "You and your short attention span." She motioned for her to sit on the opposite side of her desk. "I said that I knew you were coming. I must say that it took me by great surprise. I hadn't expected you to find me so quickly…"

So it was the Millennium Tauk had the power to see into the future…that would make sense as to why the guards were debating whether or not she was the girl that had been expected.

"The necklace…so that's the item with the whole 'foreseeing' capability."

"Yes, it is," Ishizu replied, touching it gently as she sat across from her. "Not only that, but it can see into the past as well."

"Hmmm…well, now I know. I couldn't remember if it was the rod or the necklace that contained such a power. So that leaves the mind-controlling aptitude to the rod, huh?"

Ishizu slowly nodded her head. "I'm afraid so, however I am not the one in control of it…my brother is." Her face grew stern. "And as of right now, that is _not_ a good thing."

Tea gave her a weird. "Ok, and just what exactly do you mean by, 'not a good thing?' Is something wrong with Malik? He isn't in trouble, is he?"

"Oh no, no, no, Malik is fine," Ishizu quickly pointed out. "He's just not really himself…"

"Meaning what? I don't understand…where is he now? I…" She lowered her head as despondent memories of their separation flooded her mind, but a smile still managed to find its way onto her face. "I miss him so much. He was such a wonderful friend."

Ishizu let out a deep breath, reached across the table, and took Tea's hands within hers. "Look, I know you miss him, but you have to listen to me, and listen well, ok?" Tea slowly nodded, indicating that it was alright to continue. "After you left the lair, Malik drastically changed…on the _inside._"

Tea gaped at the raven-haired woman. "_Excuse_ me?"

"I'm so sorry that I must bring you such sad news, but you must know the truth…" she whispered. "You must know if we are to _save_ him…"

-**_FLASHBACK_**-

She could tell by the expression on her brother's face that he had re-entered that deep stage of depression; the one he had been trapped within for the past few weeks. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder, unintentionally causing him wince in pain. He had just undergone two painful procedures: the tomb keeper's initiation, and the loss of his best friend. If that wasn't enough to tear someone to pieces from the inside out, then that person must not have been human…

"I'm so sorry, Malik," she coaxed. The boy said nothing and looked away. It had been a few weeks since it all happened, but the wounds on his back and in his heart were still as fresh as ever. "Please, Malik. There must be something I can do for you…"

"Actually…" he began softly, redirecting his gaze towards her. "There is one thing…"

"Really?" she cried happily. Those were the first words he had spoken to her all week. The only one he had been willing to confide in lately was Odeon.

"Take me to the surface," were his words as he gave her a taxing gaze. "Take me outside."

She gasped. "Malik! You know father would never let us get away with th-"

"THEN GO AWAY!" he screamed, throwing the bed covers over his head.

"Malik, please don't be like-"

"I SAID LEAVE!"

Ishizu's bit her lower lip in an effort to subdue the cries that were desperately trying to force their way out of her throat. What could she do? They'd never get away with this…could they? She glanced down at the bulge that lay immobile underneath the bed covers. Aw hell, if going outside would help her brother feel better, than she'd risk getting into trouble…she'd risk _anything_…

"Wait a second Malik, I have an idea…"

Two, innocent eyes slowly peeked out from under the blanket. "You do?"

"Yes, but we'll need Odeon to make it work…"

"Did I hear someone call my name?" A tall, dark haired man entered Malik's room with a friendly smile upon his face. "How can I be of service to you Master Malik…Ishizu?"

"By helping us escape from this joint!" he cried happily, pushing the covers over the side of the bed. "I want to go outside!"

"Malik hush! Do you want father to catch us before we even get a chance to _plan_ our escape?" Ishizu hissed as she clasped a hand over his mouth.

As he struggled to pull away, Odeon asked, "What's all this about escaping? Does Malik wish to see what lies above the sand?" The young boy stopped struggling, and nodded his head. "Hmmm…I see. In that case, why not?"

Malik yanked Ishizu's hand off his mouth and squealed with glee. "REALLY? ARE YOU REALLY GONNA HELP-" He stopped abruptly as he noticed his sister giving him an evil death glare out of the corner of his eye. He smiled sheepishly and lowered his voice. "What I mean to ask is…are you really gonna help us escape the lair?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to leave for a short hour or so. Who knows, it might just help with this severe depression of yours," his elder brother replied, putting his hand to his chin. "What do you think, Ishizu?"

She reluctantly nodded, wishing that she had never brought it up. Then again, she wanted to rid her brother of all the ill thoughts and feelings that were devouring him from the inside out, so, as guilty as she may have felt, she hastily pushed her reluctance aside. It was for her brother…"I suppose…but we must be quiet, ok?"

"Oh really? Thank you Ishizu! _Thank_ you so much!" Malik whispered vociferously. He pulled her into a big, warm hug, wincing slightly as she put a bit too much pressure on his back to return it. "I promise to be on my _best_ behavior!"

His sister let out a long sigh "Father should be asleep right now, so I think that the best time to leave would be right now." She yanked the over-excited boy off of her, turned towards Odeon, and asked, "You promise you'll keep father occupied if he happens to get up?"

"I give you my word," the older man replied, holding up a hand.

"Thank you…now come on Malik, let's go."

The two silently tiptoed out of the room, ran up the stairs, pulled open the hatch, and climbed out into the amazing world that awaited them.

Malik shielded his eyes as they stepped into the hot, Egyptian sun. He had never been in the presence of such a bright light before. "WOW!" he exclaimed as he scanned the surface of the sand. "It's so beautiful, just like Tea had said!" He then quickly bolted off in the direction of the village.

"Malik! Wait up! You promised to behave!" Ishizu called after his retreating figure.

"C'MON ISHIZU!" he called over his shoulder. "YOU GOTTA SHOW ME EVERYTHING!"

"Why me?" she moaned as she sprinted after him. She could already tell that this was going to be one, _long_ day…

Upon entering the town, Malik gaped in awe as he took in his surroundings. He saw everything, including enormous houses, children playing in the street, people riding camels, merchants running in all directions as they frantically tried to sell their products, and animals scurrying across the ground. Ishizu could tell Malik was happier than he had ever been. He was finally able to see all the wonderful things Tea had told him about. If only the brunette could have been there to see it with them…

Soon, they entered the market area, which was bustling with people. Malik tried to take something, but quickly learned that you have to _buy _an item before you _take_ it. All of a sudden, something caught his eye. It was a large box with moving pictures inside.

"A TV!" he cried. "TEA TOLD ME ALL ABOUT THOSE!" He ran over to it and pressed his nose against the screen, eyes bulging with excitement.

"Malik! Come back here!" his sister cried from a few yards back. When she had finally caught up to him, she bent over and rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily. This boy sure had a lot of energy! But it was really about time they went home…she had a worried feeling that they had been out for too long…

"Hey Ishizu, what was that machine on the TV screen? The one with the big wheels?" her little brother asked as she pulled him along. "Tea never told me about those!"

"It was a motorcycle, Malik. Now come on. We really have to go."

'Wow…when I get older, I'm gonna get myself a motorcycle,' he told himself happily. "Hey - ow, Ishizu! Don't pull me so hard…that hurts!"

"Sorry, sorry. But you gotta hurry it up. We're almost home…"

"Home?" Malik questioned. "We don't live in a home. We live in a hole. _Normal_ people live in homes." He sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground.

Poor Malik…it was true. They weren't exactly what you'd call 'normal people,' now were they? Their family had lived underground for the past 5000 years, anxiously awaiting the return of an ancient Pharaoh whom they weren't sure was even coming…

"Tea was a normal person…" Malik explained as they arrived at the base of the burrow. "That's why father sent her away…because she wasn't meant to live with abnormal people like us."

"Malik…"

"Why? Why do we have to be so RA DAMN different? Why the _hell_ couldn't Tea stay with us? WHY DID HE HAVE TO SEND HER AWAY? I…I miss her so much…" His voice trailed off as he began to softly sob into his hands. "I hate being different…I hate being a tomb keeper."

Ishizu pulled the crying boy into a warm embrace. She hated to see him this way…it was hurting her as just as much as it was hurting him. 'Maybe coming outside wasn't such a good idea…'

Little did _she_ know, she couldn't have been more right.

When the two parted, Ishizu bent down, opened the hatch, and gasped. "What in the world…a silent alarm? This was never here before! Father must have put it in after Tea left…oh Ra no…please no!" She rushed down the steps, Malik close behind.

"Does this mean that father knows?" her brother asked anxiously, petrified of what lay ahead. There was nothing that the two of them feared more then their father's wrath…

They quickly ran to Malik's bedroom, only to find the door wide open and the floor covered in sheets and blankets. "Oh no…please no!" Ishizu shrieked. Her whole body began to shake. "We should never have done this! We should never have left! Never! Ne-" She stopped abruptly as she felt a small hand gently touch her shoulder. She turned to face the lavender-eyed boy. He was…smiling?

"It'll be okay, sis," he coaxed. "I promise. Now come on. Let's go find out where Odeon is!"

She slowly nodded her head, smiling wanly. "I hope you're right…"

They quickly scurried down the long hall to their father's office. The door was closed, but they were still able to hear loud shouts and cries of pain coming from the other side.

Malik's eyes widened in horror. "ODEON!" He shoved the door open and screamed. The man's limp form lay beaten and bloody on the cold, cement floor, his hands bound tightly in front of his body.

Ishizu covered her mouth with her hand as a wave of nausea washed over her body. "Oh Ra…"

"YOU!" their father boomed as he took note of their presence. He pointed an accusing finger towards the boy. "How _dare_ you disobey my rules and exit the lair! You are a TOMB KEEPER! YOU HAVE BROKEN THE CODE!" He lashed his whip on the ground and slowly began to approach them, clutching the plastic handle so tightly that it began to crack. Ishizu slowly backed up against the wall in terror, but Malik remained motionless and completely unfazed.

"I would have expected something like this from that girl…_Tea_." He spat her name out like a snake would venom. "I STILL cannot believe I ever invited such _filth_ into my lair, let alone gave it my most prized possession. I think her intolerable behavior accidentally rubbed off onto you two. What a pity…"

She gasped as she saw blood slowly trickle down her brothers clenched fists and fall lifelessly to the floor in a small, crimson puddles. She couldn't see his face because his back was to her, but she figured it must have looked absolutely _livid_ because his body was beginning to shake with anger. "Malik," she whispered in an inaudible tone.

"Why father?" he asked suddenly. "Why did you do this to me?"

"Do _what_ to you, you pathetic excuse for a child? You did this to yourself!" his father roared back, smacking his whip onto the ground again.

"Why father?" he repeated, raising his emotionless eyes from the floor. "Why did you take her away from me? Why did you hurt me? Smite me? Control me? Why are you forcing me to live in a friggin' _hell_ hole for the REST of my _ENTIRE_ LIFE!"

Ishizu's eyes widened in horror as his hair began to slowly sway back and fourth as if a gust of invisible wind had swiftly brushed past him. But wait a minute…what wind? They were underground for crying out loud!

"It is your DUTY MALIK! You are an ISHTAR, and the ISHTARS have an UNPRECEDENTED obligation to live underneath the rest of civilization, protecting the Pharaoh's tomb until the very day he decides to-"

"SHUT UP, OLD MAN!" Malik suddenly roared, cutting his father off in mid-rant. "JUST SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT ANY MORE! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, **SHUT** **UP**!" He brought his wounded hands to his head as he continued to scream bloody murder.

"MALIK!" Ishizu screamed. What in the seven hells was going on? What was happening to her brother? His long, blonde hair had accumulated into several large spikes that stood on end, and his cries were beginning to sound more and more like sadistic laughter rather then shouts of pain.

"_Ah…at last I am free_!" he roared, speaking in a dark, mechanical voice that was definitely not his own. "_It doesn't usually take me this long to escape this blasted boy's body, though. Hmmm…he must be getting stronger after all those centuries of torture…or maybe it was because that **girl **has been reborn._" He paused for a moment, grinning wolfishly as he spotted the Millennium Rod on a nearby table. "_Precioussss," _he hissed.

"Don't you touch that Malik!" his father cried, his voice trembling with an almost indiscernible fear. "It is not time for you to inherit it! Do you hear me, Malik? STOP IT! STOP IT NOW!"

Now Ishizu was able to get a good look at her brother since he had turned around, and she _did not_ like what she saw. His eyes were extremely dark and lifeless, veins were popping out of ever inch of his face, and a massive eye was glowing brightly in the center of his forehead. Dear Ra…what was this monster? And how did it come to possess Malik?

"_Why hello there my beautiful precious!_ _I've missed you so much…"_ the boy whispered as he snatched the rod off the table. He gently stroked its metallic blades, relishing the intoxicating feeling of the blood pouring from his fingers. "_Perfect…_"

"MALIK!" his father roared again. "That is it! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU! Now you will pay for ever attempting to cross me!" Ishizu could do nothing but watch as her father closed in on the crazed boy…she had lost her voice a long time ago.

A malicious laugh escaped the spirit's lips as the eye in the center of his rod began to glow. "_I'm sorry, but I think you're mistaking me for someone else…" _He turned to face the angered man. _"My guess is that you're the boy's father, am I right? Aw, well that's really a shame. I don't **like** fathers very much…they can be so **demanding** at times."_

"Don't you speak to me that way, boy!" the robed man cried as he raised his whip over his head, and flung it down on his son. However, Malik was easily able to dodge it and the whip hit the floor, slicing off some of the stone.

Her brother grinned evilly. "_Now, now…that wasn't very nice!"_ he scolded, standing up straight. "_I think you need to be taught a lesson. Alas, I don't have the time to do so, but don't worry! Maybe there's someone within the Shadow Realm that can!"_ He held up his rod and aimed it at the now unmistakably frightened man.

"Malik? What are you-"

_"Goodbye, old man!_" Mr. Ishtar let out a blood-curdling scream as a bright, yellow light consumed his body.

"FATHER!" Ishizu cried, finally finding her voice. Hot tears stung at her eyes as she watched him fall to the ground soulless, his vacant eyes helplessly gaping up at the cold, stone ceiling. "No…"

"_Now as for YOU, my pretty, little girl…_" the evil being hissed as he turned to face the mortified girl. "_You know, I haven't seen you in a **very** long time! Almost too long!" _He slowly began to approach her, grinning sadistically. _"But now that you're here, I'm afraid that it's your turn to die…AGAIN!_"

Ishizu flung herself backwards, only to collide with something hard. 'Oh Ra…' she thought as he closed in on her. She slid down against the wall and allowed her tears to flow freely from her eyes. There was nowhere for her to run…it was over. 'Thank Ra you weren't here to see this, Tea…'

"_Aw come on now…don't be afraid! You should feel HONORED to have your soul sucked from your body by my **precious**,_" he hissed in a hushed voice.

"Malik…_stop_," another voice whispered hoarsely. The angered spirit whirled around to face the young man that still lay on the ground. "Malik, you don't have to do this…" He looked up at the angry boy with pleading eyes.

"_Wait a minute…who are you? I've never seen **you** before…AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME? STOP IT!_" The psychotic being slowly backed away from Odeon's fallen figure, shielding his face with his hands. "_NOOOOOO!" _he screamed as his rod slowly slipped from his bloody grasp. He brought his hands to his head as his hair and eyes returned to normal.

Malik blinked a couple of times as he glanced around the room. "Odeon?" he whispered. His eyes widened in horror as he discovered his sister backed against a wall and his father lying lifelessly on the ground. "What…what's going on? Did I…did I do…?" He turned back towards his older brother. "Did I do this? Did I…Oh Ra, I CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING!" He rushed into the young man's arms, sobbing hysterically. "WHAT HAVE I DONE? WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?"

Tears once again consumed her eyes as she watched her brother cry and scream in mental agony. "What is happened to Malik?" she mouthed silently. "Why him?"

-**_END FLASHBACK_**-

Sorry for all the angsty stuff. There's only a bit more to come, so no worries! Ok, um, please review?

Bye!


	5. Ishizu's Sad Story pt II

Yes, I'm here…surprisingly enough. Finals start right after this weekend and I have approximately…(counts on her fingers, but gets lost half way) um, I have _a lot_ of finals to study for. Yeah…ok, um, let's just leave it at that. --"

**dragontamer101:** D Yeah, I know. hehehe Tea would never have the guts to do that to that to Bakura, and that's precisely why I'm making her do that. Hehehe. And just wait. I'm planning on have her do stuff to him later on sadistic grin forms on face but don't get the wrong idea from this…I will not be bashing Bakura. Bashing is for losers! XD

**Princess Hallie:** I luv you! Thanks so much for the b-day wish! We all know how much I love those!

**Ry-Shadow Tamer:** I was wondering where you went! I thought you had forgotten about me! (--) But now that I see you didn't, I'm happy again! () Anyway, I didn't feel like putting Shadii in this cause, well…he just won't fit later on. I'm not going to write BC the exact way it was portrayed on TV. Some parts may be the same, some different, and some just won't be there (like Shadii). But don't worry…this is gonna get good! I have tons of ideas!

**Voice-Sama**: Ah…another LOTRs fan I see… That was the best trilogy I've ever friggin' seen! And at first though, I only watched it cause of Orlando Bloom…hearts appear in eyes HE IS SO HOT! And I was planning on putting some Evanescence in here later…you'll see. XD

**Ice Ember:** No, Malik and Tea aren't meeting yet…sorry! (u) But they will meet soon! Promise!

Thank's to the rest of you too…luv ya'll!

**Disclaimer**: It is not exactly possible for me to own YuGiOh…then again, it's not exactly possible for any of us to own it, now is it? Yeah, I figured as much.

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 5**: Ishizu's Sad Story (Part II)

"And I wish that it ended there, but it doesn't…"

Tea stared at the Egyptian girl like she had second head growing out of her chest, her eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. She couldn't decide whether or not to be happy that Mr. Ishtar was finally dead, or terrified that her former best friend was going insane. "Woah, woah, woah, just wait one second!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. "Ancient spirits can't just _materialize_ out of nowhere! Aren't they supposed to come from within the Millennium items? I mean, unless you're inferring that he has a split personality! Cause that would be bad…" Her eyes filled with tears as she slumped back down into her chair. "_Real _bad."

"Yes and no - you know, I'm really not too sure. That _thing's_ words…they were strange. Like how he said that he had been torturing my brother for centuries, and how he said that he knew you and I from a time that was long ago…" She clasped her hands together and brought them to her lips. "That is why I decided to investigate the matter."

Tea moaned as she felt a sharp pain stab at the sensitive flesh beneath her skull. Why did it feel as if her colossal pile of unanswered questions was escalating instead of attenuating? She had come here for answers, _not_ an enormous migraine…

She slowly brought one of her hands to her forehead and gently massaged her sore temples. "Ok, so enlighten me. What is it that you discovered?

Ishizu paused for a second, unsure of how she was to explain the next part of her story. "Well, I must say that it was not what I had hoped to ascertain at all…it was dreadful and so hard to believe, but when you see something with your own two eyes, there's just no way of denying it, regardless of what others are bound to think."

Tea continued to rub her forehead as she made a small gesture with her free hand, signaling her to continue. The faster she explained it, the less she'd have to dwell on it…and as _false_ as that statement may have been, she was _still_ gonna believe it.

Ishizu let out a long sigh and began the rest of her story. "That night, I furtively slipped into my father's office. The other tomb keepers had removed his body and put it in an obscure place. I was never able to figure out where though…

"I removed the millennium necklace from its resting place and put it on, hoping that it would allow me to see what it was that I had wished to discover. The second it situated it around my neck, I began to feel very strange…it was as if I had just gained a sixth sense. So I ran to where my brother lay sleeping and gently touched him on the shoulder…everything that happened after that was just one, big blur.

"I felt as if I had been sucked into a never-ending vortex, my body thrashing in every direction as I struggled to take hold of something – anything to make the spinning stop. Once everything had finally begun to slow down, my world gradually faded to black, like a movie fades in and out of scenes. As the light returned, I found myself standing within another time…one that had, no doubt, occurred a very long time ago. I looked around and soon my eyes fell upon Malik. He appeared to be living a happy life…a lonely one, but content none the less. Then, out of nowhere, he began to go mad. That beast within his body forced its way out, plunging him into complete and total darkness. And shortly after, it forced him to commit suicide, viciously and brutally. Those revolting images are _still _etched _deep_ within my brain…it was the most horrifying and grotesque thing I had ever seen…

"After my brother had perished, everything faded black once again and I arrived within a different era…a couple decades later I believe. The same, horrible cycle repeated itself…so many deaths...it felt like it would never end. Each time Malik killed himself, and the historical eras I visited drew nearer and nearer to the present, the whole scenario of his demise would flash before my eyes faster and faster. After a certain point, I was unable to see or understand what was happening at all…it was just one big blur of red, black, and the sound of screaming.

"It was horrible, Tea. I highly doubt that I started at the beginning of his existence, and I assume that I never reached the end. Ra, I don't even think he remembers anything from his previous lives or lives that long within each one. This can only mean that his soul has never been able to rest in peace.

"This is all I know. I have no idea who cursed my brother with this…this evil _enigma_, nor do I know how it was created in the first place. What I do know is that if all of my assumptions are correct, if Malik really _is_ cursed, then we must act fast. He doesn't have much time…"

Tea stared hard at Ishizu, an expression of shock and confusion displayed on her face. "_I beg your pardon_?" she asked in a quavering voice. "You mean to tell me that he's been cursed for _centuries_ - maybe even _millennia_?"

"Yes, Tea. That is what I believe. I know that it's hard to comprehend, but I saw it…I saw Malik kill himself hundreds of times as lucid as day and I cannot think to ignore it. But I do believe that there is hope and it lies within you, Odeon, and I…"

Oh great…yet _another_ confusing factor. "What? Why the three of us?"

"Well, remember what the spirit had said: that he had known me from a time long ago, and I do believe that he briefly mentioned you - he said that one of the reasons he hadn't been able to escape his body before was probably because "that _girl_" had been reborn. What other female could he have been referring to? Malik never knew any other females besides me.

"And then there's Odeon…the evil being claimed that it had never met him before, and it was in fact _he_ who was able to subdue it completely. I believe that the fact that all of us are alive is an omen from Ra…one that says we finally have a chance at destroying this horrifying creature that's harassing my brother's soul. But if we are going to save him, we _must_ work together as a _team_, which means that I need you to cooperate and believe in what I say," Ishizu explained, gazing at Tea with pleading, blue eyes. 'Plus with the Pharaoh's awakening, the evil is not going to want to murder him so quickly…it's going to want the power for itself,' she thought silently. 'There is still a chance…'

"I see…well then what are we supposed to do? How are we suppose to fight this thing if we don't know when it's gonna resurface?" the teen asked sadly. She rubbed her frazzled eyes and yawned. This was way too much for her to take in all at once, and to top it all off, she was very skeptical about most of it. An evil spirit that appears out of nowhere? Hundreds of lives and deaths? Possessing the power to save him?

_Come on_.

She grinned. "Oh, I'll take care of that…you'll see. All I can say is that my naughty brother is definitely in for a rude awakening…"

"Mmm-hmm…wait a second!" Her eyes opened wide and she bolted upright in her chair. "What do you mean by 'naughty brother?' Is there more! What the freakin' hell else is there to tell me? As if finding out that Malik is cursed with a psychotic side isn't enough!" She angrily shook her head and ferociously stood up, knocking over her chair in the process. She didn't care that her head was still pounding, because this was freakin' insanity…MOTHER FREAKING INSANITY!

Ishizu lowered her head in shame. "Malik…he desires the Pharaoh's power. Therefore, he's gathered all the remaining tomb keepers, as well as a few other men who were desperate for money, and formed an evil syndicate known as the 'Rare Hunters.' Their job: collect as many rare and expensive duel monsters cards as possible and bring them all to my brother, a.k.a. 'Master Malik'. This includes the rare Egyptian God cards and Goddess card…"

"Egyptian _what_ cards? Dammit Ishizu! What the hell does this all mean! Why has Malik all of a sudden become a power-hungry man-bitch?" She brought her hand up to her head again as another wave of intense pain pulsated through the bridge of her nose. "I thought that evil spirit thingy didn't - ug, why does this have to be so Ra damn confusing!"

"You know that Pegasus created the game Duel Monsters by studying the ancient carvings that are located deep within the Pharaoh's tomb, am I correct?" Ishizu asked calmly, slowly brushing her long, black hair out of her face.

"Obviously…I read his friggin' diary."

"Four of those cards that were created were much too powerful for him to control. They were the Egyptian Gods and Goddess cards. However with my help, he was able to seal them away, keeping them safe from the evil clutches of my brother and his rare hunters."

"Lemme guess…they found them?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Only two of them…I have the others, and one is for you." The Egyptian woman slowly reached behind her back, pulled out a card, and handed it to her.

Tea reluctantly took it, glaring at Ishizu with cynical eyes. Upon looking down at it, she gasped. The image portrayed on the front was of a stunning woman with long blonde hair, emerald eyes, pointy ears that greatly resembled those of an elf, and a long, feathered tail. Then, originating from her back was a pair of the most magnificent pair of feathery wings she had ever seen. She pried her eyes off the card and looked across the table at her friend, utterly shocked and speechless.

"That," Ishizu began, "is Evareena, the Wing Goddess. She can be the most powerful of the God cards, or she can be the weakest. It all depends on how well you play…"

"She had 1000 attack and defense points…how is that powerful?"

Ishizu grinned. "Look again."

Tea looked back down at the card and rolled her eyes. "Okay, it says 1000 _plus_. One thousand plus what?"

"If you sit down, relax, and pay attention, I'll tell you how her attack and defense points work. Now, are you willing to do that for me?"

Tea stuck out her tongue as she bent down, put her chair back on its feet, and plopped down onto it. Ishizu sighed and slowly shook her head. "You know Tea, you're as childish as ever-"

"Cut the crap and continue!" she retorted with a scowl. She felt really bad snapping at her like this, but she was way past the point of being impatient. So technically, it wasn't her fault…right? Or did that little statement right there made her sound like an even bigger bitch?

Ishizu rolled her eyes and continued. "The Egyptian Goddess card begins with attack points so that she can be summoned to the field right away if necessary, but she isn't very powerful if you do this. But, if you sacrifice any of the monsters that are on the field while summoning her, she gains their attack points, but that's only if the monster is female…

"Not only that, but she can gain 1000 attack points based on the number of cards you have in your hand, but it only counts for magic cards. So basically, she has the power to gain attack points in all the ways that the other Gods can. That's why one must play their cards wisely in order to unveil her true power, and I believe that you are just the person who's capable of doing so…"

"No shit…." Tea whispered as she looked back down at the card. "What are the other three cards?"

"There's the Winged Dragon of Ra, Slyfer the Sky Dragon, and Obelisk the Tormentor. I only have Obelisk in my possession as of now and, as you have already correctly guessed, Malik has the other two."

Tea swallowed hard. At this point, she didn't know whether she should feel terribly sorry for the boy and help him, or be severely angry with him and give him a hard kick in the ass. Deep down though, she felt horrible and promised she'd do anything to save him from an eternity of pain and misery that awaited him. No one deserved that…

Not even _Pegasus_…

"Ishizu?"

"Yes?"

"I'll help you. I'll help you save Malik because I…" she trailed off as a faint image of the exotic Egyptian materialized in her mind, but it was really faint…almost gone. "I really want to see him again. I really do. I've never stopped thinking about him, and if I lose him now, I'd just…I'd never be able to live with myself!" She tightly squeezed her eyes shut as her burning tears returned, nipping angrily at her lids. "I'd never…"

"I know Tea. I feel the same way, but you need not worry. I have a feeling that you'll be seeing him a lot sooner than you think…" She walked over to where the lamenting girl sat and tenderly wrapped her arms around her morose form, smiling sweetly. "You just wait, okay?"

Tea tried to smile back, but was unable to. How was Ishizu able to look so cheery when it was she who had seen all of those deplorable visions? She placidly wiped some of her tears on the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "So when will I see him?"

"I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that it is soon, and it will be during a fight for the Pharaoh's power," she replied, as she slowly released the girl from her warm embrace. "That, however, is all I know."

Tea gasped. "Wait, did you say _Pharaoh_? Does that mean that he's actually _arrived_?"

'Dammit, Ishizu!' the blue-eyed woman thought angrily. 'You and your big mouth!' She smiled sheepishly. "Um, well-"

"Holy _shiet_!" Tea cried, her headache and tears long forgotten. "So does that mean that I _really_ had a past life? That I _really_ was Anzu Mazaki?"

"You…you'll discover that soon enough," was all she received for an answer.

"Aw, come on Ishizu! You can't just leave me hanging like this!"

"I'm sorry Tea. I already broke my family's code…I do not wish to break another…"

Tea seemed to ignore her request. "Do I know him?"

"…"

"Have I ever seen him before?"

"…"

"Am predestined to marry him or something?"

"…"

"Is he good looking?"

"…"

"Do I-"

"Tea, please!" Ishizu cried, raising her voice for the first time since former Queen had arrived. The auburn-haired girl stared at her stupidly and settled back down in her chair. "I…I cannot tell you who. It is something that you must discover on your own."

Tea nodded slowly, but still didn't understand. What was so hard? Why couldn't she just…_say_ it? She had every right to know who her past husband was…

"So, uh, when's this battle supposed to occur?" she asked, trying the change the subject.

"Right after I bribe a stubborn CEO with an exceptionally rare card, and tell him that there's more where that came from," Ishizu replied grinning maliciously, deeply relieved that Tea had dropped the whole "Pharaoh issue."

Tea forced a smile. She figured that Ishizu would con Kaiba, after giving him Obelisk, into searching for the other cards by holding a contest or tournament of some sort. But wait…would this tournament also end up attracting Malik? Was that the point of all of this? For Kaiba to hold a duel monsters tournament so that Malik and his band of rare hunters would come to Domino in search of the two remaining God cards?

She searched the Egyptian woman's azure eyes for an answer, but the woman merely smiled in response. The brunette struggled to mirror it to the best of her ability, although, it probably didn't look all that convincing since tears still continued to trickle down her rosy cheeks, leaving behind streaky, pale stains.

There was a soft knock at the door followed by a soft, muffled: "Miss Ishizu? You're next appointment is soon."

Ishizu gasped, eyes darting over towards the analogue clock that hung over her desk. "Oh, that's right!" Replacing her gaze on Tea, she said, "I have another appointment, dear, but I will be seeing you again soon. I need you're help. Malik needs you…" She gently touched her friend on the shoulder.

"I know…" Tea whispered. "And I'm here for him…I just wish that I had actually been there during all those hard times."

Ishizu smiled, but in the back of her mind she was frowning. She didn't want Tea to beat herself up over this…it wasn't her fault. "Oh, I must know…have you ever told you're friends about your past with Malik? Have you ever stated his name?" Her expression grew very serious.

"Um…no, I don't think so…why?"

"No reason. It's just that Malik, I believe, will try to hide his identity throughout this battle. I think he's going to have Odeon pose as him or something along those lines…" Ishizu predicted as she stared blankly at the wall, gently touching her glowing necklace.

"So, he's still got Odeon working as his butler, huh?" Tea asked, laughing a little.

"Yes, I'm afraid he does. Little does he know, though, it's much safer that way."

Tea merely nodded. After all, as far as they knew at least, Odeon _did _obtain the uncanny power to subdue the perilous beast that furtively resided within the platinum blonde…

Ishizu called to her guards that were waiting patiently outside her closed door. Once they opened it, she said: "Please escort Miss Gardner out, and, once he arrives, my next guest in.

"Yes, Miss Ishtar," they replied in unison, taking a quick bow. They left the room and stood a few feet outside the door, waiting for the girl to follow.

"Goodbye, Tea. Everything will be okay, I promise. And do not, under any circumstances, think that any of this is entirely your fault. We are either all to blame, or no one is to blame…it is that which I have yet to figure out," the Egyptian woman stated sternly. "Promise me that you won't beat yourself up…please?"

"I promise…" Tea whispered, lowering her gaze to the floor. "Cross my heart…" With that, she gave Ishizu one last hug, turned, and left.

'I hope so…' the tanned girl thought silently as she watched her mope towards the front door. 'I really do…'

Tea still felt awful. How could all of this be possible? It was just so hard to believe! And the fact that Malik had become an evil jerk didn't help very much.

"Frick it all," she mumbled bitterly as more burning liquid amassed within her eyes. "Just _frick_ _it_ _all_."

She averted her gaze to the floor for a brief moment, watching her feet with great interest as she continued to trudge down the hall, the guards footsteps echoing softly behind her. After a few seconds, she lifted her gaze, but at that exact moment, collided head-on with something that felt extremely robust…or rather _someone_. A low growl followed the impact.

"Sorry…" she mumbled. She knew who it was…who else was that freakin' tall?

"Gardner? What the hell are you doing here?" the aggravated CEO retorted. She looked up at him with her tear-stained face and smiled, causing the boy to cock his head in confusion.

"Hey Kaiba…" she mumbled in a raspy voice as she slowly strolled past him. "How's that lifestyle for the rich and the famous goin' for ya?" She didn't really wait for an answer, but rather walked through the open doors in front of her, and into the sunny daylight.

Seto stared after her for a few seconds. What was eating her?

"Mr. Kaiba, sir? Please follow us. Miss Ishizu requests your presence," one of the guards remarked, earning himself a nasty look.

"Whatever…let's make this quick though. I don't have the time or patience for this," he growled as he reluctantly followed the two men down the long hall. He couldn't help but wonder though…why was Tea here and why was she crying? Wait a minute…why did he care? He quickly shook his head.

Damn.

He _really_ should have drunk a stronger cup of coffee that morning…or at _least_ taken the time to pop a Advil or three. He could already feel a treacherous migraine starting to eat away at his skull…

**xxXxxXxx**

Tea stumbled to the parking lot, crying and feeling awfully ail and dizzy. She let out an annoyed groan as the pain continued to hammer at her skull. "I can't drive like this…"

All of a sudden, she tripped over a jagged rock and felt her body slowly fall towards the ground. She was too weak to catch herself, so she tightly closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around her body, and waited for the pain to envelop her. Strange thing was it never came. Instead, a soft, warm feeling delimited her body.

'What?' she thought confused as she slowly opened her eyes. Her face was in someone's chest…again. She slowly looked up, only to find her self staring directly into a pair of mesmerizing, crimson eyes…

**xxXxxXxx**

Weee! I'm done! That took forever…

**FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE THE SLIGHTEST BIT CONFUSED:** This evil spirit lives within Malik, and Ishizu doesn't know how it got there or why. All she knows is that it curses him by forcing him to be reincarnated over and over again, preventing him from ever escaping to a higher plane. And towards the end of each life, or as far along as the spirit is patient enough to wait, it forces Malik to murder himself. Ishizu also doesn't know how it was created, making it harder for them to understand how to destroy it. So this spirit isn't really the YM you seen on TV, kk? Hope that clears things up, and if it doesn't…ummm…you'll figure it out sooner or later.

And I think it's obvious as to who the guy is at the end…right? Or is it not? O.o

Um, bye!


	6. The Tournament Begins

HI PEOPLE! I'm back and I'm FINAL FREE! Yea! And thanks for all your reviews! Ya'll made me feel so special! And since the last chapter was kind of depressing, I tried to put some humor into this one…JOEY HUMOR!

**Dreamgirl:** Glad you liked it! But as for my other story…its going no where fast. I'm STILL experiencing severe writers block on that. Hope you're not too disappointed…there's still this fic! But who knows, it may come to me sooner or later. Thank you though! And your story is soooo cute!

**Voice-Sama:** Nope…no Tea/Seto pairing here. That would just turn my love triangle into a square and confuse me even more then I already am. (--U) Why are people being led to believe this? Did I mention something? -- Oh yeah…in the museum. U Didn't mean for it to sound that way. Hope you're not mad! And Yami…is part of the triangle – BUT DON'T WORRY! Malik has yet to appear!

**dragontamer101**: No seto/tea…sorry. AND…Since this evil dude isn't _really_ Yami Malik, I AGREE! That EVIL bastard! He's a DEAD MAN! pulls out own flame-thrower C'MON NOW! HURRY! BEFORE HE GETS AWAY! D

**BlackBelt:** OMG! Do you really think I'm talented? I mean really? WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH! My confidence has soared! And are you okay? You hit that wall kinda hard U…gotta watch out for her bracelet! It's pretty damn deadly!

**Princess Hallie:** The best? _You serious_? Wow…thank you! Never expected to hear that, especially since Malik hasn't even appeared yet! And since you missed being the 50th reviewer, you can (if I'm lucky enough to get that many) go for the 100th! It's twice as big!

**PsychoSisters:** You weren't? Good…I was afraid that it might have been unclear. I mean I had to read it over a few times to make sure that it made sense to me, and I wrote the darn fic! As for the person…you'll find out in about, what, 2 sentences? But yeah…glad that you weren't confused and that you liked it!

Disclaimer: What? Why are you looking at me? I don't own anything! I swear! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 6**: The Tournament Begins

"W-what are y-you doing here?" Tea stammered as she tried to push herself off of the boy's warm chest. Her head was still pounding and her vision was beginning to blur. "This isn't a duel…"

"Tea!" the boy cried as her eyes fluttered closed and her body began to fall lifelessly towards the ground. He quickly extended his arms and pulled her limp body close to his. "It's okay now…I'm here." As her soft, pale skin brushed up against his, an intoxicating wave of lust washed over him. 'No…you can't go there,' he warned himself. He took a deep breath and waited for the overwhelming feeling to subside. 'She mustn't know…'

He scooped her up within his arms and gracefully carried her over to the car. He fumbled with her keys and unlocked the door, softly laying her down on the back seat. There was no way she was going to be able to drive home, but there was also no way that he was going to either…the very _concept_ of cars was still new to him.

"Mmmmm…" she moaned as she slowly began to stir a few moments later. She sat up and raised her tired eyes to face the same, attractive boy who had saved her from her fall. She felt her right wrist gently tugging in his direction. "Yami…what are you doing here? Why are you out of the puzzle?"

He didn't answer at first, but rather continued to stare into her captivating blue eyes. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes upon…from her soft, brown hair that gently flowed in the wind, to her delicate skin that he yearned more than anything to touch. Yet at the same time, he had this eerie sensation that he had met her before…that he had already had the pleasure of caressing that beautiful, porcelain skin…

As Tea stared back into his crimson eyes, she felt warm chills slowly ascend her spine. She quickly pried her eyes away from his and waved her hand in front of his piercing gaze, hoping to get him to stop staring at her like that. It was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Yami? Are you still there?"

He quickly snapped out of his trance, mumbling to himself. "Wha? Huh?"

Tea let out a long sigh. "Why are you here? You know, out of the puzzle, roaming around an empty parking lot…it's kinda weird if you ask me."

"I just…I…" he began slightly confused. He quickly examined his surroundings. "I was…"

'YOU WERE HERE TO TELL HER THAT HER CAT HAS ESCAPED FROM THE HOTEL, YOU BAKA!' a voice boomed from inside his head. 'HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN THROUGH THIS? Ug…why didn't you just let _me_ take care of this! You and your stupid Tea cravings…'

"Um, Yami? Are you okay?" she asked. His hair was standing on end, his face was contorted, and his body had stiffened.

"Fine…" he squeaked. 'My Ra, Yugi! Did you really have to scream so loud? And what are these _Tea cravings_ that you speak of? Is she hungry?'

'Never mind that, JUST TELL HER! If I didn't say something sooner or later, you'd be staring at her all FREAKIN' DAY! But if you noticed, YELLING HASN'T GOTTEN YOU TO DO WHAT I ASKED! Know why? CAUSE YOU STILL HAVEN'T TOLD HER!'

'Okay! OKAY! OKAY! I'll tell her! Just please stop screaming!' Yami begged the boy. His expression returned to normal as his eyes met hers once again. "I am here to tell you that your cat has, uh…she's regrettably escaped from the hotel."

"She has?" Tea gasped, her eyes going wide. They actually went _too_ wide and she clutched her head as the horrible pain returned.

"Don't worry! It'll be okay. Joey and Tristin are looking for her as we speak," he coaxed as he helped her get out of the car.

'But my poor Bella! In the hands of those two buffoons? Why isn't Bakura helping? Oh well…what choice do I have but to trust them?' she thought miserably.

"Don't mind my asking, but why are you here? You know, in this parking lot, with a large headache?"

Tea snapped out of her worried thoughts, and glared at the spirit. "I had to go to the bathroom, so I stopped here. Is that a _problem_? " She searched his eyes for some sort of satisfaction. Luckily, she found it.

"Um…no! Not at all!" he replied, nervously scratching his head. "What say we head back now? I'm sure Yugi can drive you home." As he gently laid his hand on her shoulder, her body conspicuously stiffened, grew eerily hot, and coveted for nothing more then his wonderful touch. Why was he making her feel this way? Everything about him, even the sound of his voice caused these strange emotions of hers to surface. How could she be feeling this way about him if she wasn't in love with him? Yugi had never made her feel this way, but then again…this boy wasn't exactly _Yugi_, now was he?

Yami felt her stiffen and quickly removed his hand, a worried look fashioned upon his face. "Tea…are you sure that you're okay?"

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Really! I just didn't get enough sleep is all…" she answered, forcing a smile.

"Okay…I'll see you later then," the spirit replied, slightly suspicious of her answer, but he decided to let it alone. He gave her one last smile as a bright light emerged from his Millennium Puzzle and engulfed him. Once it disappeared, a slightly smaller boy was revealed.

"Hi Tea! I'm really sorry about that…Yami can be kind of forgetful sometimes," Yugi apologized, nervously scratching his head.

"It's okay. And do you mind…driving me home? **(1)** My head still hurts…a lot. All I really need are a couple of Advil, but they take forever to kick in." She squinted eyes as she hastily rubbed her forehead.

"SURE!" Yugi exclaimed. There was nothing he loved more than driving Tea's car.

"Right…hey, how did you two find me anyway? I never told my aunt where I was going," she asked, giving him a doubtful look as they climbed into the car. "You guys weren't stalking me, were you?" She grinned inwardly.

"N-no! We'd never!" he replied fretfully, throwing his hands up in defense. "Well I know _I'd_ never, but I can't say the same for Yami…"

'HEY!' the spirit cried. 'I RESENT THAT!' Yugi mentally smirked. Hikari 2,345, Yami…_zip_.

Tea giggled. "I'm just kidding silly. But really…how did you find me?"

"Yami's 'Tea Sense' was tingling." he replied, as he revved the engine.

"His wha – hey! Would you stop doing that? It's bad for the car!" she scolded.

"You mean this?" Yugi teased as he disregarded her warning and pressed even harder on the gas pedal.

A low growl emitted from her throat. "RA DAMMIT, YUGI! STOP IT AND GO ALREADY!" Alas, there went the last of her patience…flying out the window.

"Alright, alright…chill. We're going," he laughed. After a little bit more teasing, he finally pulled out of the parking lot and out onto the main road.

Tea watched as the museum disappeared from sight. She then leaned back into her seat and sighed, glancing over at Yugi. As he looked back, she could have sworn she saw a flash of red in his eyes. She shivered once more.

"You okay?" he asked, averting his gaze back towards the road.

"Yeah…" she responded slowly. 'I think…' There was something strange about that spirit…something she wasn't so sure that she wanted to discover…

**---_Five days later (Friday)_---**

"That was our last final! SCHOOLS FINALLY OUT!" Tristin cheered, throwing his arms up into the air as he Yugi, Tea, Bakura, Joey, and Duke descended the front stairs of Domino High.

Joey vigorously nodded his head in agreement. "AND WE DON'T HAVTA GO BACK EVER AGAIN! GOODBYE HIGH SCHOOL!"

Tristin stopped walking and gave him a weird look. "Uh, dude? Yes we do. I think you're forgetting about senior year."

Joey stopped walking as well and stared stupidly at his friend. His mouth was slightly ajar and it looked as if he was thinking really hard. All of a sudden, as if something had finally clicked within his feeble little brain, he screamed. "AW MAN! YA GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME! A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR? Why? Why must God punish me so?" He grabbed his head and dropped to his knees.

"Is he always this stupid…and dramatic?" Duke inwardly whispered to Tea.

She nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so."

As Joey continued to moan and complain, a huge airplane flew overhead, a long banner advertising the upcoming Duel Monsters tournament fluttering in its wake. People had been talking about it all week; the Battle City Tournament was supposed to start tomorrow.

A small smile crossed Tea's lips as she watched the plane fly by. 'Ishizu…you totally rock.'

"The Battle City Tournament?" Tristin asked, reading the sign from afar. "Is that the best Kaiba could come up wi-"

"KAIBA?" Joey cried, jumping up from the ground, "Da tournament is bein' hosted by KAIBA! Oh nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh, _no_. I _refuse_ ta go ta some stupid-ass tournament hosted by MONEY BAGS!"

"Who else did you think would have the money to put on such an event…_Pegasus?_ Or maybe you're just scared cause Tea's got that cool card that's better than all of ours combined!" Tristin teased. "What was it again? An Egyptian card - God card! An Egyptian God card!"

Tea had showed them her Egyptian Goddess at the beginning of the week. She didn't tell them much about it except for the fact that she had received it from a mysterious woman who had claimed that it was meant for her. She went on to say that this woman had warned her about an evil that would soon rise and try to take over the world. This God card was supposed to help in the epic battle against it. She was, due to some miracle, able to avoid mentioning any names or places. Hell, she was _afraid_ to broach anything else…she had forgotten to ask Ishizu if it would have been okay to reveal anything, so she decided not to risk it, even if they were her best friends. Yugi and Bakura were the only ones who took what she said seriously. Joey and Tristin just moaned about how they had to fight yet another "evil-psycho-wacko-dude," as they had so _eloquently_ put it.

"Yeah…" she replied. "That's what it is."

"I am SO NOT SCARED!" Joey snapped. "I'm just afraid that I might end up pounding his face in reality instead of virtually! So ya see, it's really for his own _safety_ dat I don't enta."

"What makes you so sure that you're even _qualified_?" Duke teased. "I mean, this is _you _we're talking about!"

"You wanna piece of dis?" Joey growled, holding up his fists. "Ya sissy-little dice boy!"

"Hey, you guys!" Yugi exclaimed, trying to keep the boys from killing one another. "Ya think Kaiba's holding the tournament so that he can collect all the God cards for himself? The same ones that this new nemesis of ours is after?"

"What makes you think that Kaiba even knows about them?" Duke asked as he twirled a black strand of hair around his finger, completely disregarding Joey's insult (if you even want to _call_ that one).

"Cauze Kaiba knows _everythin'_," Joey replied. "Stupid bastard _always_ does…"

"Only God knows everything, Joey," Tristin scolded, waving his finger in front of the blonde boy's face.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Tea spoke up. "I mean he's got trillions of dollars, millions of people working for him, cars, jets, houses, stores, hotel chains, apartment complexes, and satellite systems allowing him to see _everyone_ and _everything _that moves. Sounds like a God to me."

Joey grinned. "Da girl's got a point." All the others laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Oh, sorry guys. I'm afraid that I must be leaving now." Duke smirked as he pointed in the direction of a bunch of giggling girls. "That's my cue…later."

"What a _pity_," Joey remarked sarcastically.

"I'll pretend that I didn't hear that," Duke responded, giving him an evil glare.

Tristin watched as Duke slowly walked out of hearing range. Once he was, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and yanked on Joey's sleeve. "Ok! He's finally gone! Now, tell me Serenity's room number!"

"Get offa me!" the blonde snapped, pulling away. "Dere's no way in hell dat I'm gonna tell ya my sista's number! I don't need ya nagging her when she's freaked out enough!"

"AW! Come on, Joey! Please?" Tristin begged, getting down onto his knees and clasping his hands together like he was gonna pray or something. "I want to make her feel better!"

"NO! DERE'S JUST NO WAY!"

As the two continued to fight, Yugi turned towards the others and asked, "Hey, did you guys see the advertisement for Kaiba's new duel disks? They're pretty cool!"

"Why don't we head over to one of his stores now and see if we can still get our hands on some?" Bakura suggested.

"Its better then standing here and listening to the two of _them_ all day," Tea responded in agreement. "But let's head over to the hotel first. I refuse to wear my uniform _any_ longer than I have to!" She looked down at it in disgust.

Bakura slowly shook his head. "Heaven forbid that you should have to wear pink, Tea."

"Come on you two! We're leaving!" Yugi called to the boys, whom were _still_ fighting…

The dust cloud around them slowly disappeared to reveal Joey holding Tristin in a headlock. "Let him go," Tea commanded. "I wanna go home." The two briefly exchanged confused looks and instead of heeding to her request, sustained fighting. She sighed, cringing at what she was about to make herself say, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Alright you morons! The first one who makes it to my car gets to drive it back to the-"

"Would ya look at them go…" the snowy-haired boy stated as he watched the two boys frantically run off into the parking lot.

Tea let out a low growl, her brow furrowing like mad. "BAKAS!"

"So that's how they caught Tea's cat so fast!" Yugi smirked. "I was wondering…"

Bakura laughed. "So maybe it won't take them that long to remember that she parked on the street!"

The three of them exchanged curious looks. "Nah!"

"FOUND IT!" a voice screamed.

"And the winner is…Joey?" Tea asked dumfounded. "Now there's a shocker…not to _mention_ means for a heart attack."

"Tell me about it," Tristin panted, running up from behind them. "But I call next!"

Tea slowly nodded her head as she gave him a weird side-glance. "_Riiiiight_. You go right ahead and think that."

**XxXxxXxx**

"For the TWO BILLIONTH time Joey, MY ANSWER IS **NO**!" Tea screamed as she climbed out of the driver's seat. She had taken over on the way from the hotel, for Joey had proved that he wasn't someone you wanted to get into the car with…_ever_.

"But I didn't crash once, getta ticket, get my license suspended, get us killed, or-"

"SHUT UP, JOEY! JUST SHUT UP!" she cried. She was trying her hardest to keep her cool, but no one thought that was going to happen. Not after what that moron had just put her through.

"Come on, Tea. We're at the shop. Let's just go in and forget about it. We didn't get caught…that's all that matters, right?" Tristin coaxed.

Tea relaxed for a moment, but one second later, she cringed and bellowed, "TELL THAT TO THE 50 PEDESTRIANS HE RAN OVER!" She then quickly turned away and stomped in the direction of the shop, shouting towards the sky: "TELL THAT TO MY CAR!"

"Was that…_smoke_ I saw flaring from her nostrils?" Bakura asked, his eyes going wide.

"Yeah…" Tristin replied coolly. "She does it all the time…where have you been?" He and the others followed after her. Joey, however, was safely keeping his distance.

"I didn't even _scratch _her car…geeze. I think _somebody_ has PMS." the blonde mumbled under his breath.

"_Joey_! Quiet! Don't forget that she's a _woman_ and women can hear _everything_! Especially the stuff we don't _want_ them to hear!" Tristin hissed. "And when were you plannin' on givin' me that phone num-"

"SHUT IT!" Joey snapped, stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking ahead of him. "Mr. know-it-all!"

"AW! Come on!" Tristin wined, rushing after him. "I promise I'll be good!"

**xxXxxXxx**

"I CANNOT BELIEVE DAT SON OF A BITCH HAD ME DOWN AS DA WORST DUELIST IN DA FRIGGIN' COUNTRY! I CAME IN SECOND AT DUELIST KINGDOM FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!" Joey cried as they exited the shop. He, Yugi, and Tea were all holding duel disks. Now, they could duel wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted, but not without Kaiba seeing of course.

Tristin cautiously patted the angered boy on the back. "Hey man, you need to _chill_! The storekeeper gave you a disk anyway, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but that was only _after_ he had jumped up onto the counter and began strangling him," Tea pointed out.

"I HATE YOU KAIBA!" Joey screamed at the top of his lungs. "DIE!" He then began running around the parking lot, kicking the tires of parked cars and cursing Kaiba Corp.

"Damn…he's gonna lose his voice if he keeps yelling like that!" Tristin cried, covering his ears. "And I'm gonna lose my hearing!"

"Permanently…" Yugi added. He turned to look Tea, thinking that she would be nodding her head in agreement, but instead, she was laughing her head off.

"Oh man! That is just _too_ rich! He looks like a HEADLESS CHICKEN! I gotta get a picture of this!" she cried, laughing so hard that tears began to form in her eyes. She reached into her purse, pulled out her phone, and moved in closer to get a better shot. With the touch of a button, she managed to capture the perfect picture. _Sucker_…

"HEY! I SAW DAT WOMAN!" Joey boomed as he charged at her. She shrieked and ran in the opposite direction.

Tristin grinned as he watched the angered boy chase the brunette around the parking lot like a mad dog. "Man, I really gotta get me one of those!"

"What…the phone?" Bakura asked puzzled.

Tristin gave him a weird look. "What else - Aw man! Look at that! Joey's runnin' around, holdin' Tea caveman style!"

"JOSEPH WHEELER, PUT ME THE HELL DOWN!"

"NOT until ya delete dat damn photo!"

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"_AND _apologize for callin' me a chicken! A HEADLESS chicken at that!"

"RA DAMMIT, JOEY! PUT ME DOWN OR _ELSE_!"

"Or else _WHAT_? Whatchya gonna do, Tea? TICKLE me ta death?"

"WHY YOU-"

"**OOOOF**! Dat…was…cruel…" Joey moaned, dropping the angry girl and falling to his knees. Tea had somehow managed to kick him…well you know…

Where the sun don't shine.

Ouch.

"Serves you right!" she snapped, smacking him upside head.

"Ooooooo!" the others cried in unison, cringing as they imagined how much pain the blonde must have been in.

"C'mon guys…WE'RE LEAVING!" she shrieked, giving all of them a malicious death glare. The boys immediately followed, not wanting to piss her off any more then she already was.

"Wait!" Joey cried. He slowly stood up and made an extremely sour face. He was still in pain, so he waited a few more seconds for it to cease and then ran after his friends' retreating figures. 'Damn! Dat's strike two for me! And I dun dink dat it'd be wise for me ta strike out…' he thought nervously as he ran. 'The only thing dat could possibly come next is my death!'

_**---Next day---**_

"Where da hell is Tea? We _did_ tell her ta meet us here at 10:00…right?" Joey asked checking his watch.

"Yeah…we did," Yugi answered as he glanced left and right. They were standing in the middle of the city along with hundreds of other duelists, waiting for Kaiba to begin the tournament. "Maybe she's still sleeping…"

"HIYA HONS!" a female voice called from the crowd. The boys turned their heads to see a familiar blonde girl heading their way, waving frantically.

"Hey Mai!" Joey exclaimed, pulling her in towards him and wrapping his arm around her. "Didya miss – OW! What did ya do dat for!"

"For invading my personal space, you twit," Mai growled as she pushed him away from her. "Hey…where's Tea? Is she late? Has she backed out!" She hastily glanced in either direction. "Because she's just _gotta_ duel in this tournament! We're still supposed to face off!" She stomped her heeled foot in frustration.

"Maybe she's too afraid dat you'll smack her over da head, at any given moment, for no apparent reason!" Joey cried rubbing his head.

She grinned. "You truly are a moron, Joseph Wheeler."

"Thank ya Mai. I'm gonna take dat as a compliment," he replied, glaring at her.

"Hey Joey, how's your sister doing?" Yugi asked curiously.

"She's alright…just a little nervous is all. I want ta visit her beforehand, but the only problem is dat I don't think I'll have time. I mean, I don't have anyone else ta keep her company since we're all gonna be in dis tourna-"

"I'M NOT IN IT!" a voice called from behind them. "I'LL VISIT HER!"

Without even looking, Joey vigorously shook his head. "Uh-uh, Tristin! NO WAY!"

"Aw come on dude! Do you honestly think that I'm not trust worthy?"

"Uh…yeah!"

"_Joey_. That's no way to treat a friend, now is it?" Mai asked gingerly as she ran a hand through her hair.

Tristin animatedly nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, is it Joey? I mean _come_ _on_! I promise I'll be on my best behavior!"

Joey sighed and looked over at Mai. She definitely had a point…a _pretty _damn good one too. "Aw man…I guess – WAIT! I DIDN'T SAY YES YET! GET BACK HERE YA FRIGGIN' MORON!" he screamed after Tristin's rapidly retreating figure.

"YEAH YA DID! CATCHYA GUYS LATER! GOOD LUCK DUELING!" he called as he quickly mounted his bike and sped off as fast as he could, leaving Joey no time to change his mind.

"Good boy," Mai cooed, patting the defeated blonde on the back.

He growled. "I AIN'T A DOG!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Joey," Yugi remarked laughing.

"WANNA PIECE OF DIS?" he cried, waving his fist in front of the smaller boy's face.

"Wanna piece of my Yami?" Yugi retorted, narrowing his eyes.

Joey immediately retracted his fists and quietly mumbled, "Uh…no. Not really."

"Baby," Mai teased.

Joey growled again. "Watch it wom – OW! DAMMIT MAI! WOULD YA STOP HITTIN' ME! WHAT DID I _DO_?"

**xxXxxXxx**

"SHIT, SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! I'm late again! WHY ME, RA? WHY?" Tea screamed as she ran towards her car. She had forgotten to set her alarm clock, couldn't find any clean clothes, and had misplaced her duel disk…again. She set her backpack on top of her car and frantically rummaged through it, making sure she didn't forget anything.

"Where the hell is my duel disk? WHERE? DID I FORGET IT AGAIN? No…its right here…it's here." She took in a deep breath, dumped her things into the back seat, scrambled into the front, and drove off. "The guys are soooo going to kill me!"

As she entered the city, many of the streets were blocked off except for a few main ones that led to and from the heart of Domino, and one that led to the hospital a few miles down…just in case. "Can they really shut down the city like this? Oh wait…Kaiba practically _owns_ the city. Never mind," she thought aloud as she pulled into a nearby parking lot. She had managed to get the last available space. 'Looks like I got a lot of walking ahead of me…great.'

She quickly climbed out of the car, grabbed her bag, swung it over her shoulders, and looked around. Hundreds of people swarmed the streets and sidewalks as they made their way to the core of Domino in order to watch and compete in the tournament. 'Better call the guys and tell them that I'm here.'

She was about to reach into her bag to pull out her phone when a huge shadow enveloped the sky. She glanced upwards just in time to see a massive blue and white blimp fly over head with a large screen on the side that was flashing the Kaiba Corp logo, kind of like a screen saver. Two seconds later, the emblem disappeared and was replaced with a large image of Kaiba's scowling face.

Tea laughed. 'That guy sure knows how to spend his money!' Her face then turned serious as she recalled her card, the Pharaoh, and the boy that she was fighting for. 'So this is it…the tournament has begun. But so has the fight for the world…and Malik's _future_.'

**xxXxxXxx**

Um, well there was a little bit of Tea/Yami in here, but please don't worry about it too much. Malik has yet to appear, remember? As for this tournament, I think that I may need to make it a few days instead of just one…still got a lot to fill in. Ok…that's all for now! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you did, feel free to tell me!

**Random Notes:**

**1. **I'm making Yugi about as tall as Yami is in the show and Yami about as tall as Malik is. That way, it makes the fact that the little dude was driving Tea's car w/o a booster seat seem a little bit more…realistic

LATER!


	7. Seen Through Another's Eyes

I wasn't planning on writing this yet, but I got sick and was stuck home for the past few days with nothing to do but type. Aren't I just the luckiest girl in the whole wide world? --"

Thanks to all of you who reviewed! I'm so glad that you like this! And the humor continues! Except this time, my unsuspecting target is none other than KAIBA! XD

**tombmistress**: I'm glad that you liked it! But I don't think that I can promise that Malik's dark side will…um…live – BUT LISTEN! He's not REALLY Yami Malik. He's different. MUCH DIFFERENT! I love YM way too much!

**MalikFan03**: Oh! I'm so glad that you reviewed my story! I'm such a big fan of yours! And as for the 10th member…thanks for the idea. I finally decided who I'm gonna use…You'll see who later!

**BlackBelt**: OH NO! DON'T HATE ME! It's a Y/T/M triangle thingy…okay? You don't gotta worry! I'm telling you that you'll be happy with the outcome of this story, I PROMISE! Really! And…um…are you sure that you're ok? You hit that wall again. U Silly you! When will you ever learn that you just cannot mess with Tea?

**IsisTheEgyptianGoddess**: Oh, thanks so much! I'm thrilled you like it! And, did you really think up of an Egyptian Goddess card too? What is she like? I didn't think anyone else had thought up of another God card let alone a Goddess card! Cool!

**dragontamer101**: Yes…what would this horrible and cruel world be like without that lovable pup named Joey Wheeler? THERE WOULDN'T BE A WORLD! THAT'S WHAT! And as for your new punching bag, I suggest Pegasus…he creeps the shit out of me…UNLESS YOU LIKE HIM! Then, I take back what I said! U But still…he'd be my first choice! XD

Disclaimer: Nope. I refuse to say it. I think that I've said it enough already. It never changes, now does it? Yeah…that's what I thought…--

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 7**: Seen Through Another's Eyes

Kaiba noisily cleared his throat, glaring at the crowd like a mad scientist would his evil sidekick. People's talking immediately ceased as they directed their attention towards the oversized screen. Satisfied with the silence, the elder Kaiba began his long and boring pre-tournament speech that would outline the rules he expected everyone to follow, and the requirements that they were all supposed to meet.

Tea yawned. 'This ought to be fun…' she thought miserably, as she brushed her soft brown hair out of her face. She leaned her head back and took in a deep breath as she admired the beautiful sky. 'I'm standing here in the sun, listening to the droning voice of that stuck-up bastard, whom may I add has _nothing_ better to do with his money then hand out free duel disks and collect rare playing cards…(sigh) and I'm really, _really_ hungry!' She glanced around and noticed that all the others seemed to be bored as well. They were all just itching to duel, but first they had to wait for Kaiba to stop talking. Yet sadly, once he started, there was no stopping him. Unless…

She thought for a moment. There must have been _some_ device within that blimp that would allow people on the outside to reach the people on the inside, and it wouldn't necessarily be a phone. But then, what in the world would it be? She wanted to play a teensy, little joke on the unsuspecting rich boy. Now, you're probably wondering why she would have the sudden urge to do something like that, right? But you see, this is Tea Gardner, prankster extraordinaire we're talking about here, so…

Who needs a reason?

"Where's Mokuba when you need hi-" she began, but cut herself short as she saw the small, black-haired boy exit a building a few yards down. A sadistic grin formed on her face as she hastily rubbed her hands together and bolted off in his direction. 'Lucky me…'

She just loved pranking people, especially Joey and the other boys. They were all so gullible! But the best ones she ever pulled were the one's that she did back in Egypt alongside Malik. Those tomb keepers were such suckers…

Yeah, when Tea thought of a plan, she put it into action…immediately. And this time, her unsuspecting target was none other than Seto Kaiba, the rich CEO of Kaiba Corp…

**---_Meanwhile…within a dark, secluded location---_**

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Odeon, that better be you…" a young voice hissed, slowly raising his piercing, violet eyes towards the door. He listened closely as it slowly creaked open and close.

"It is I, Master Malik…I have the news that you desire, as well as some that we weren't expecting," the man responded in a deep, raspy voice. He stepped out of the shadows to reveal his tall, hooded figure and abstruse, golden eyes that were half shielded by thick, black bangs.

The exotic boy sighed and leaned back in his chair, closely admiring the golden item in his left hand. "Out with it then."

The man nodded and began. "Seto Kaiba is about to begin his tournament and one of our men, Number Seven I believe, claims that he has Yugi Mouto within his sights."**(1)**

Malik smirked. "That's very nice to know…does he have the puzzle?"

"Not yet sir…"

Malik's smirk slowly faded and was replaced with a nasty scowl. A low growl emitted from his throat as he spat, "Is that so? Didn't I tell all of those worthless shit-heads _not_ to bother me unless they _had_ the puzzle, and were _on_ their way to bring it to me at that very second?" He stood up and began to pace back and forth in front of his throne-like chair, gripping his rod like it was a precious life source.

Odeon sighed. "Yes, Master Malik…that is what you said. Number Seven _promises_ to bring the puzzle to you as soon as Kaiba initiates the tournament."

Malik shot him a fiery gaze. "What else do you have to tell me? And _so_ _help me Ra_ it _better_ be good." His servant didn't say anything right away because he wasn't sure how his master would react…it had been five, long years since he had last seen her…

The exotic Egyptian stopped pacing and looked up at the pondering man. "Are you going to tell me, or are you just going to stand there all day like a dumb-ass?"

"Uh…no sir," his servant quickly began, snapping out of his thoughts. "I…I was just going to inform you that a couple of our other hunters have spotted a young girl…she appears to be rather close to the boy…" He paused for a moment.

"And I'm supposed to care _because_? You are _wasting_ my time!"

"But sir…that young girl…she's-"

"I said that I don't care! Why must you bother me with such useless non-"

"It's _Tea_, sir!" the elder man cried, finally capturing his master's attention. He then brought a fist to his mouth and politely cleared his throat, lowering his tone as he added: "She's friends with the boy and is planning on entering the tournament herself."

Malik stopped pacing and froze…he felt like he had forgotten how to breathe. Tea…the girl who had been haunting his thoughts and dreams for the past five years was still in Domino. He felt his rod slowly slip from his fingers and clatter to the floor.

"Master Malik, sir?"

'She's _friends_ with the former Pharaoh?' the boy thought morosely. 'I should have known this would happen!'

"Sir?" Odeon asked again, hoping his brother would start breathing again. Malik quickly shook his head and took in a deep breath, much to his servant's relief. He then reached down, picked up his fallen rod, and sat back down in his chair. "Are you all right Malik?"

"I'm fine," he hissed. "Why does this concern me?"

"Because you and her were friends not too long a-"

"THAT was the _past_. Things have _changed_," he responded coldly. "And you can leave now."

"But sir -"

"LEAVE!"

"(sigh) Very well." He slowly turned to make his exit, but stopped abruptly as Malik's voice rang out through the tense air.

"_Wait_."

"Sir?"

He didn't say anything at first, but rather sat there, staring at the ground. After a few moments of silence, he finally responded, spitting out the words like venom. "I want you to tell all of those other fools that if they dare to lay even one _finger_ on her, I will personally _decapitate_ them and _impale_ their remains. And that will be _before_ I send their pathetic minds to the shadow realm. Is that understood?" He gave the man a piercing gaze.

"It is understood, Master Malik," Odeon replied softly. With that, he walked the remainder of the way towards the door and left, a temperate smile upon his face. 'I knew it…I just knew that he still cared.'

After Malik heard his servant close the door behind him, he let out a deep breath and slumped down in his chair. He wondered…was he doing all of this as an excuse to see her again? It was true that he missed her more than anything and, at one time or another, desired nothing more than to see her magnificent smile again, so why? Was power _not_ the only reason?

He remembered what she had said, just before the lid to the lair closed, or at least he _thought_ that's what she had said…that she loved him. But what did that mean? Was it a sisterly sort of love? Or was it perhaps…something more? He couldn't possibly feel that way about her…could he?

'No,' he warned himself. That's just stupid. Besides that's probably not even what she had meant.

So maybe there really _was_ only one reason as to why he was striving to collect all four God cards and that Millennium puzzle…so that he could one-day rule the world and gain enough power to conquer the evil that was living inside of him. But he had to do it fast…he felt it becoming stronger with each passing day, and he wasn't quite sure when it would decide to emerge once again. And if and when it did, he didn't want Tea to be around to witness it, or worse…_experience_ its wrath…

**xxXxxXxx**

"Wait, let's go over this one more time…I press this button here, type in the code, and then I'll be able to broadcast my voice throughout one of the speakers inside that blimp? And he won't be able to tell which one?" Tea asked again as she fumbled with the walkie-talkie in her hands. She was lying on her back on the floor of her car with Mokuba gazing down at her from atop the back seat. They were hiding in her car so that no one could see what they were doing…_especially_ their prey.

"Yes, Tea," the younger Kaiba answered for the 50th time. He peeked over the back of the seat and gazed intently out the windshield. "But you'd better start now though. I think Seto's almost done!"

"One more second…"

"What are you doing? If you tamper with that too much, you might break it!"

"Eh, don't worry about it," she replied coolly, cranking up the volume so that he could hear too. "Oh, and Mokuba? Are you sure that you're okay with this? Cause I'd completely understand if you aren-"

"NO WAY! I WANNA SEE HIM SQUIRM!" the tiny boy bellowed, startling her. "Besides, it's been a while since I got into some serious trouble." He grinned maliciously.

The prankster laughed nervously. "Um, okay! If you're sure…" She quickly pressed the appropriate buttons and awaited his signal. "I'm ready…how about him?"

"He - hold on - he…senses someone's paging him! Start talking, but remember not to release the 'talk' button or else you'll get cut off! Now, go!"

Tea nosily cleared her throat. Her plan: to speak in an annoying, high-pitched voice, pose as Seto's angry girlfriend from Brooklyn, and accuse him of cheating on her. She grinned evilly, and began.** (2)** "_Seto_ baby? Is that YOU?"

Mokuba began to crack up as the stern look on his brother's face became one of shock and confusion.

"What the hell?" Kaiba growled as he glanced around the room he was broadcasting from.

"SETO! Oh yay, that IS _you_! Do ya know how many times I've tried ta _call_ - hell, do ya know how many times I've tried ta _reach_ ya? Like 500! Are you purposely avoidin' me or sumthin'? You ARE, aren't _YOU_? So who is she, huh? I JUST _KNOW_ THAT THERE'S ANOTHUH WOMAN!" The crowd began to exchange weird looks.

"Who is this! Who the hell is hacking into my -"

"WHY YOU STOOPID JYERK, IT'S ME! WHO _ELSE_ WOULD IT BE? Why the hell haven't you returned my _calls_? I just don't unduhstand! AM I NOT _GOOD_ ENOUGH FOR YOU? I mean it's not like ya need any more goddamn MONEY!"

Seto frantically searched through the crowd who, at this point, was laughing their heads off. He spotted Joey who was rolling around on the ground as he howled with laughter, and he spotted Yugi who was merely looking up at him and smirking. Mai was there too, except she wasn't laughing, she was screaming. Something like, "YOU GO GIRL!" Great, his prime suspects had just been eliminated. Now he was really beginning to feel nervous. If he didn't figure out who was pranking him soon, his reputation would surly be stained and scarred forever!

"ALL RIGHT, YOU LOUSY BASTARD!" he boomed at the crowd. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE!"

"_SETO_! HOW _DARE_ YOU SPEAK TA ME THAT WAY! Aftuh all we've been though – and how could you have _POSSIBLY_ fuhgotten what I look like? Hell, HOW could ya _NOT_ _NOTICE__ME_ within this _TINY_ little crowd? WHO ELSE HAS _BIGGUH_ IMPLANTS THAN I DO? (gasp) _OOOOH_! I BET YOUR NEW GIRLFRIEND DOES! I SHOULDA _KNOWN_ YOU _DIRTY_ SON-OF-A-BITCH!"

Okay, that was it. There went his rep…right down the toilet. Everyone within the crowd was laughing like mad and either clutching their sides or rolling around on the ground. This was too much…nobody made a fool of the great Seto Kaiba and got away with it…

_Nobody_.

"LET THE DUELS BEGIN!" he cried over the ruckus, causing everyone's laughter to cease. They all looked up at the oversized screen only to find that Kaiba was no longer there…just the black and white specks of static, which was shortly followed by the infamous Kaiba Corp. logo. Apparently, the only way for the traumatized CEO to escape such a humiliating situation - or at least the only way he could _think_ of at that daunting moment - was to end transmission. Everyone exchanged weird looks, shrugged, and within minutes virtual simulations of the game were being fought everywhere.

Slippery little fellah…

**xxXxxXxx**

"Alright! I want all you shit-heads to track down the source of that signal, and I want it done in less than 30 seconds!" Seto growled at his staff who was desperately trying to suppress their laughter. "STARTING NOW!"

"RIGHT!" everyone cried in unison as they scrambled to their appropriate stations. All except one woman who was standing with her ear next to one to the speakers, listening attentively.

"YOU! WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING?" her boss screamed as he pointed an accusing finger at her unfazed expression.

"Cause I think I found the source of your problem, hun. Right here," she responded gingerly, standing up straight. "You can thank me later."

"What?" he cried as he ran over to where she was standing and listened. Sure enough, he could hear faint laughter. "HEY! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU! AND HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO-"

"Seto?" a familiar voice asked.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba answered, utterly taken aback. "Mokuba, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me…sorry about that. Some madwoman stole my walkie-talkie and ran off with it. She must have been watching me because after I punched in the code to call you, she grabbed it from me and ran off, screaming about how she was your long lost lover or something." He winked at Tea who had her hands clamped over her mouth and was writhing her body in multiple directions in a desperate attempt to muffle her irrepressible laughter.

"Are you okay?" his brother asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Look, I gotta go…the duels have started and someone has to make sure that no one breaks the rules. See ya!"

"Hey Mokuba! Wait-" CLICK. Seto stared stupidly at the speaker. What the hell just happened?

"Sir, it appears that Yugi Mouto has begun a duel," one of his employees called out as he frantically typed on his computer.

Kaiba's eyes darted over in his direction. "What? Where?" He rushed over to where the man sat. "Who is he up against?"

Oh well…guess that dirty prankster was off the hook…

FOR NOW.

**xxXxxXxx**

"That was SWEET TEA! Did you hear how shocked he was when I picked up? He couldn't believe it!" Mokuba cried as stepped out of the car. "You totally rocked!"

She grinned evilly. "All in a days work, my boy…all in a days work." She slowly exited the car as well, stretched her arms and legs, and took a good look around. Duel Monsters games were being fought all over the place. The tournament must have really begun. "Wow…looks like everyone's started. Better call the guys…" She quickly pulled out her cell and dialed Joey's number.

A few seconds later…"Hello?"

"Hey, Joey! Sup?"

"Aw, man Tea! Did ya see what happened ta Kaiba up dere! It was hilarious! Whoever came up wit dat one is definitely a genius…I've neva laughed so freakin' hard in my entire life!"

Tea giggled. "Really, now…" She then cleared her throat and began to talk in the same voice that she had used to prank Kaiba. "I could have SWORN that ya had laughed harduh when I stuck that plastic fork up Tristin's nose in the seventh-grade, and we had tuh escort 'em tuh the emergency room ta get it removed…remembuh?

"Oh yeah! Hey, ya might be right about - WOAH! WAIT JUST ONE SECOND! DAT WAS YOU? HOLY SHIET, TEA! HOLY FREAKIN ' SHIT!"

"SHHHH! Keep it down will ya? The whole world can hear you!"

"Sorry, but dat was just too sweet! I shoulda known though, cause YOU ARE da prankster queen afta all!"

"Aw, thanks Joey!"

"Your gonna haveta tell me how ya managed to pull dat one off later!"

"We'll see…hey, where's Yugi?"

"He's…I don't really know. He walked off after dat little prank ya pulled…wait! I found him! He's duelin' some weird guy in a purple robe…"

Tea froze. Purple robe? Could it be…a rare hunter? That's how the tomb keepers used to dress… "Joey! Find out who that guy is for me, pronto!"

"Do I have to? Um…okay. Hold on a sec…"

Tea turned towards Mokuba. "I gotta go. See ya later and thanks for your help! We make a great team!"

"We sure do!" Mokuba replied smiling, "And you do realize that you just told Joey that-"

"Yeah, I know…trust me, he won't spill the beans. He'll be too busy laughing at Kaiba to do so."

"Okay…whatever you say, Tea. I'll see ya around! Hopefully at the Battle City Finals!" the young Kaiba replied as he gave her one last wave. He then quickly whirled around and ran off in the direction of the duels.

"Bye Mokuba!" Tea called after him.

"Hey, Tea! Ya dere?"

"Oh!" She quickly put her phone back to her ear. "Yeah! So who is he?"

"He calls himself a Rare Hunta…what da hell are Rare Huntas?" Tea gasped. So it _was_ a Rare Hunter after all. Malik must have been close, but where? "Man, is he FREAKY! I betta go and support Yug. Come and find us, okay? We're in front of da…um…library! Yeah…we're in front of da library!"

"Okay…I'll be right there."

"Yeah, and hurry! Dis guy is REALLY creepin' me out!" _CLICK_.

Tea sighed as reality began to sink in. There was to be no more fooling around…Malik and his Rare Hunters really meant business, and if she and the others were to defeat them, she would have to start taking this tournament a little bit more seriously.

'Even though that was pretty funny…' she thought as a toothy grin found its way onto her lips. 'Malik would be proud.' She pulled her backpack over her shoulders and headed over to where the others were _supposedly_ located. She had gotten the directions from Joey, and he wasn't always so accurate…

**xxXxxXxx**

Yami watched in horror as the man he had just defeated grabbed his head and began screaming at himself. "NO MASTER, PLEASE! I SWEAR I'LL DO BETTER NEXT TIME! OH RA, HAVE _MERCY_!" And then, after a few more seconds of writhing, he screamed: "_NOOOOOOOOOOO_!"

"What the…" Yami began as he watched the man fall to the ground lifeless, only to slowly rise again. Yet this time, he didn't stand. He just sorta hung there in the air, his eyes dark and lifeless.

"_Hello Yugi Mouto…it's so nice to finally meet you…"_

"The hell? Who are you? What's going on?"

"He's just hangin' dere! Dat isn't _normal_!" Joey cried as he backed away from the possessed man and cowered behind Yami.

"_Oh, nothing…I've merely sent his soul to a much darker place and took control of his lifeless body…why waste it, hmmm? Mind control can be such a wonderful thing, you know…"_

"You sick man…who are you? What do you want?" Yami replied harshly, his eyes filled with hate.

_"I am the future Pharaoh of this world…world domination: that is what I desire. But in order to gain this, I must first have that Millennium Puzzle of yours. And mark my words, it will SOON be mine!" _the evil voice cried as his mechanical laughter filled the air. He continued to laugh until a familiar brunette came marching up to them, taking them all by great surprise…

"THERE YOU GUYS ARE! Oh my friggin' Ra Joey, you have got to be the most _incompetent_ moron I have ever met! This is the _video_ _store_, not the _library_! Ug, I just don't understand how you are able to get to and from certain places if you don't know left from right!" Due to the way she was acting, one could only assume that she was completely oblivious to the man that was hanging in the air only a few feet away.

Yami noticed that the man had stopped talking and that his eyes were fixated on Tea. What was he looking at? Whatever it was, he didn't like it, and he felt himself grow hot with anger. Nobody looked at _his_ woman that way and got away with it…_nobody_.

'Dear Ra…' Malik thought as the breathtaking woman entered his sights. He couldn't really see her too well because his vision through his mind control wasn't very clear. What he was able to see was her perfect figure within the tight jeans and tank top she had on, her silky brown hair, her magnificent blue eyes, and her skin…her luscious peach skin sent shivers down his spine. Who was this beautiful girl? Did he know her? Cause she did seem _vaguely_ familiar. If only he could get a better look…

"ALL RIGHT, TEA! I GET DA FRIGGIN' POINT! I'M BAD WITH DIRECTIONS! WHADDYA WANT FROM ME!" Joey cried as he struggled to get her to stop pulling on his ear. "What is it wit women? Dey seem ta _love_ inflictin' pain on me!"

"Oh please!" she laughed, finally letting go. "You were so asking for it!"

Yami growled as he noticed the man begin to move in towards the unsuspecting girl. This is where he _had_ to draw the line. "HEY YOU!" The man stopped moving and glared at him. "You stay right where you are! You still haven't told me your name, and I demand to know what it is, RIGHT NOW!"

Tea looked over to see who Yami was yelling at and was shocked at what she saw. A man was standing in front of him…no, _hanging_ in mid-air, glaring at him with the most dreadful looking eyes…

"_No one gives me orders, you foolish boy! I am the one who gives the commands, and I order you to hand over that Ra damn puzzle of yours, or else face SEVERE consequences!"_

That _voice_…it sounded so horrible and inhumane; almost like a mixture of the man's actual voice and a mechanical one, speaking together in perfect rhythm. This was just too weird. What was wrong with him?

"Please…how dumb do you think I am? If you aren't going to tell me your name, then free this man's body of your mind control!" Yami replied coldly, giving him a piercing glare with his dark, crimson eyes.

'Mind control?' Tea thought horrified. She knew what had the power to do that…the Millennium Rod. Who possessed the rod? _Malik_…

She gasped as she came to this realization, causing the two arguing men to look over at her. She felt her face grow hot and her heart begin to pound. If that man was under the rods mind control, then that meant that the person who was controlling him was watching her at that very moment…_Malik_ was watching her. She hugged herself and began to slowly back away.

"Stay where you are!" Yami warned again. "Don't even think about touching her! Joey, get Tea away from here, _now_!"

'_Tea_?' Malik thought, his eyes growing wide. 'That girl over there is TEA?' His rod began to slowly slip from his fingers again. How could this be? How could that ordinary tomboy he had known six years back have grown into the goddess that stood before him today? 'Dear Ra…' was all he could think as he felt his rod leave his hand and clatter to the floor.

"Dammit!" Yami cried as he watched the possessed man fall to the ground. "I never got his name!"

Tea stared down at the fallen man. 'Oh Ra, was that really Malik? And if so, did he recognize me? Did he…remember me?' She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Yes, he may have finally seen her, but it was through another's eyes! That's _not_ exactly how she had envisioned their reunion to be…_not at all_…

"Tea?" the spiky-haired boy asked gently as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt the force of her bracelet's pull grow stronger as he neared. "Are you ok?"

She sighed. Was she ok? No, not really. It had been six years since she had last seen her best friend, and when she was finally reunited with him, he was controlling someone's mind…watching her though someone else's eyes like a dirty _parasite_…

"I'm fine. Just fine."

Yami didn't buy it. He could tell something was definitely bothering her, but he decided it wasn't worth fussing over. She was probably just a little spooked. "Ok…if you're sure." He smiled and removed his hand from her shoulder, taking a few steps back. "Be careful Tea…I have a bad feeling that things are only going to get _uglier_ from here on out."

"Aw, she don't gotta worry about nothin' cause she's got Joey Wheeler here to protect her!" the blonde cried happily as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ain't that right, Tea?"

"Right," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Like I didn't see you cowering behind Yami when that weirdo was over there threatenin' him and stuff…sure. I feel _perfectly_ safe."

"HE WAS HANGIN' IN DA FRICKIN' AIR FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD! GEEZE!" Joey retorted defensively, throwing his hands up in the air. "Can we go eat now? I'm hungry."

"Oh, yeah…I'm _really_ hungry too. What do you say, Yug?" Tea asked the slightly smaller boy who had taken the place of his yami.

"Sounds great! I could use a small break. I've already got one duel down and only nine more to go!"

Tea grinned as she eyed his locator card. "Yeah, Joey and I better start dueling soon, huh? We only have two days to get all ten…"**(3)**

"NOT UNTIL WE EAT!" Joey cried. "MUST EAT FIRST!" He then bolted off in some random direction without the slightest clue as to where he was going.

"Come on, we'd better catch up to him before he goes off and does something stupid," Yugi remarked as he watched the blonde-haired boy disappear into the crowd. He quickly rushed off, calling over his shoulder, "LETS GO, TEA!"

"Coming…" she whispered. She reluctantly ran after him, still unable to believe what had just happened…

**xxXxxXxx**

Malik growled as he picked up his rod from the ground for the second time. This was really _frustrating_. He would have to make himself appear sooner or later so that he could gain the trust of Yugi and his friends, but since Tea was one of them, things weren't going to be so easy. Especially since she had become such a beautiful girl…

'Stupid hormones…' Malik thought bitterly. 'I'm gonna have to find some way around this…I can't let her interfere with my plans. But she could easily foil them just by recognizing me…shit!'

Now what was he to do? He didn't want to harm her in any way…that was _out of the question_. Could he trust her to keep her mouth shut? No…how could he? The moment she saw him, she'd probably totally freak out.

He sighed as he plopped back down in his chair. 'This is _not_ going to work…'

**xxXxxXxx**

Yes people! The T/M stuff has begun! And if that is how Malik reacted to Tea's appearance through **someone** **else's** eyes, then just imagine how he'll act when he sees her for **himself**! YOU'RE IN FOR A BIG SURPRISE MALIKY BOY! A VERY BIG ONE! ALL RIGHT PEOPLE! Time to review and tell me what ya'll think, okay?

**Random Notes**:

**1. **I don't know any of the rare hunters' names, so I decided to just give them numbers. It just makes my life a little easier…

**2. **If you had a hard time deciphering Tea's accent, just think "The Nanny."

**3. **I changed the number of cards required to enter the finals from 6 to 10. Why? Just thought that it would make things a bit more interesting, is all.

Bye!


	8. Pharaoh Yami

This has been the worst week EVER. I missed a whole week of school because I was really sick. I'm ALWAYS sick. I think I need a new immune system, because mine seems to enjoy being a stupid _slacker_.

**Princess Hallie**: OMG, you'd better hurry! Only three more reviews until I reach **100**! Oo HELL YA! And yes, MALIK/TEA forever!

**Blackbelt**: ALRIGHT! THAT IS IT! It's time we do something about this! runs off the page and comes back holding a strange looking suit, and hands it to you Here. Take this. This ought to protect you! Equipped with pillows and front and side air bags (that deploy on contact), it'll keep you safe from those nasty walls that you might find yourself randomly thrown into - OH! And don't forget the helmet! hands you helmet Now it'll protect you from those nasty frying pans too! Come on TEA! I dare ya to try and pull that stunt now! XD

**Lynderia**: Yeah, it was funny, wasn't it? When I first saw that episode with Kaiba talking from that blimp, I thought it would be hysterical if someone was to "interrupt" his speech. So, I had Tea pull this prank on him. I couldn't resist! And I'm glad ya like the changes I made! There's more to come!

**MalikFan03**: Lol! I haven't the slightest clue how your phone could be running away from you, but it's really funny! And no, I don't need a kitten, thanks! I already have 5 psychotic cats of my own…_and_ 6 annoying parakeets that I want to _feed_ to my cats, but my mom won't let me pouts

**IsisTheEgyptianGoddess**: He, he, he. Ya know, I was wondering why you made such a powerful monster have a mere 40 attack and defense points! Didn't you say that you never put her in any of your stories? Well you should! She sounds so cool! Oh, and Tea is gonna kick PLENTY of ass in her later duels. You just wait!

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Never have. Never will. End of story.

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 8**: Pharaoh Yami

Tea numbly poked at her food as the two boys chatted excitedly about the start of the tournament. She really didn't feel like joining in on their conversation; to be honest, she felt like she'd rather be alone.

Upon taking the last bite of his burger, Joey looked over at the silent girl, deciding whether or not he should say something. "Hey, Tea?"

"Hn," she mumbled without looking up.

"So, uh, ya wanna tell me how ya managed ta pull off dat prank now? Cause, ya know…talkin' about sumthin' fun might help take ya mind off whateva it is dat's botherin' ya."

Yugi slowly shook his head. "Joey, you've already asked her 25 times if she wanted to tell you, and each time her answer was no. What makes you think that a passing of _five minutes_ is gonna change her mind?"

"Aw, come on Yug, lookit her! She's miserable! Dis duel monstas tournament is supposed ta be fun for all of us, and it dun look like she's havin' any fun."

"No, this duel monster's tournament is supposed to be a way for us to defeat the new evil that has risen to claim all the world's power. It may be fun and games now, but it most likely won't be later. And I have a really bad feeling that he's gonna be our toughest adversary yet."

Joey gave him a formidable glare as he brought his arms up behind his head and leaned back. "How do ya know that this new _adversary_ of ours ain't a _woman_?"

"Well, I'd have to say by the way _he_ acted," Yugi began. He then leaned in closer to him and whispered, "I think that this _guy_ may have had a slight _interest_ in Tea, or at least Yami is convinced that's the case."

"I'm not deaf you guys."

The two laughed nervously as they slowly turned their heads to meet Tea's irritated gaze. Joey then directed his attention back towards his smaller friend and asked, "What are ya now, a physic?"

Yugi raised a brow. "You mean a _psychic_?"

"Physic, psychic, psycho, phosphorous…it's all the same mumbo-jumbo," Joey replied, grabbing a toothpick off of the table and sticking it in his mouth. "If ya ask me, I'd haveta say dat it was a guy too. I mean, I don't think any female in dere right _mind_ would pick a henchman dude dat was as ugly as he was."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Riiiiight."

Yami's transparent form stood silently next to his light, staring down at the woeful girl. Tea knew full well that he was there too because she could _sense_ him, but tried her hardest to pretend like she didn't. She really didn't feel like dealing with him right now…

"Alright guys! It's time for some dessert!" Joey exclaimed as he waved for the waiter.

Tea sighed and rolled her eyes. When would the torment end? "For the love of Ra Joey, can we _please_ go now? You can get some dessert at the hotel. Besides, it's probably better there then it is here."

"Wha? But I want pie!"

"We have pie, Joey."

"Ya sure?"

"Yes, Joey. You've only had it there three million times."

"Oh yeah! I remember now!" he replied, scratching the back of his head and giving off one of his goofy grins. "Silly me…aw, shit! I forgot ta check up on Serenity! I hope Tristin hasn't tried ta pull anythin' he's gonna regret!" With that, he got up from his seat and ran out of the restaurant.

"Why does he always manage to get outta paying the friggin' bill?" Tea moaned as she dug into her backpack for her wallet.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I got it covered. I think it would be better if you went after him and made sure he doesn't run off on us again." Yugi insisted, ushering her towards the front door.

"Oh, um, are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Um, okay then." She smiled wanly. "Meet ya outside."

Yami watched her leave. After she had, he turned towards his light and asked, 'Yugi, aren't you worried about her? She seems a little…_distant_ today.'

'Huh? Aw, don't worry about it. She gets like that sometimes. Nothin' worth fretting over,' Yugi assured him as he fished through is wallet.

Yami smiled. 'You're probably right. I guess I'm just slightly nervous after our little duel today.'

'No need to be. It's over now - Oh! Do ya wanna go to the museum and check out that Egyptian exhibit today? I think that's where Tea may have met that woman. She might still be there, and if she is, she can answer a few important questions that I have.'

'Sure, if you'd like,' Yami responded. In his own thoughts he added, 'And I might find some information on that strange bracelet Tea possesses…maybe even on the girl herself.'

**xxXxxXxx**

"Give my sista da phone Tristin."

"Why? So you can-"

"GIVE my sista da friggin' phone, Tristin."

"Give me one good rea-"

"GIVE MY SISTA THE MOTHER FREAKIN' PHONE, TRISTIN, OR I'LL SHOVE YOUR HEAD SO FAR UP YOUR ASS THAT YOU'LL HAVE TA GO TA DA BATHROOM JUST TA BREATHE!"

Tea, who was patiently leaning against the side of the restaurant, rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but laugh at his insult. "Nice one…"

"Hey dude, no need to freak out! I was just kidding! Here ya go Serenity. It's your over-protective big brother, and he's about ta give you the third degree, so brace yourself!" the pointy-haired brunette remarked sarcastically as he handed the phone over to the red-haired girl sitting next to him.**1**

"Thank you, Tristin," the young girl replied calmly as she snatched the phone out of his hand. "Hey there Joey. How're ya doing?"

"Hiya sis! I'm fine…and so help me _God_ you betta be fine too! Cause I'll be dammed if Tristin-"

"I'm _am_ Joey. Thanks for your concern, but it's quite unnecessary."

Tea pulled on Joey's sleeve. "Can I talk to her when you're done?" He nodded and then shooed her away. She stuck out her tongue in return.

"How are ya holdin' up?"

"Okay, I guess. I'm feeling much more confident then I was yesterday. When will you be coming to visit me? Before or after?"

"I'll be there before and all the way through. I ain't leaving ya for nothin' sis. Oh, but I might haveta leave for a few minutes so dat I can go _pound_ Tristin's _sorry ass_!"

"HEY, I HEARD THAT!"

'Why me?' Serenity thought miserably.

After the siblings were done talking, Joey handed his phone to Tea. She talked with the girl until Yugi emerged from the restaurant.

Her last words before hanging up were "Bye Serenity, and good luck!"

"Man, that took forever!" Yugi moaned as he approached his friends. "Whad I miss?"

"Nothing," Tea replied nonchalantly as she handed Joey his phone. He pouted and roughly snatched it away from her, causing her to slowly back away and hold up her hands. "Ooo. _Somebody_ needs a nap."

"I don't need a _nap_ thank you!" Joey growled. "I just need ta duel! But _because_ you girls take so god-dang long blabbering on the stupid phone, I'm delayed in my efforts to begin!" He then ran out into the middle of the street and screamed, "HEY! WHO DARES TA DUEL DA ALL MIGHTY JOEY WHEELER, HUH? I KNOW DERE'S SOMEONE OUT DERE WHO'S STUPID ENOUGH TA TRY AND FACE ME, _ESPECIALLY_ AFTA I'VE JUST EATEN!"

Tea rolled her eyes. "As foolish as he may sound, the bloke's right. We'd better start dueling. Catch ya later, k? We obviously aren't plannin' on dueling _each other_ yet."

Yugi smirked. "Not until the finals. See ya, Tea and good luck. Although, I don't think you'll need it with that awesome Goddess card of yours."

Tea laughed. "Yeah I will, cause I ain't using it until the finals. Bu-by now." She then slowly walked off down the sidewalk.

"Right then. I should have known!" Yugi called after her. She just lifted her hand and waved it in the air. Yugi laughed and walked off in the opposite direction.

A safe distance away, a white-haired albino cautiously peeked his head around the corner of a darkened alley. 'Good. That nosy wench is gone.' He clenched his teeth and scowled. 'Ra, do I _DESPISE_ her! She always knows when I'm present, _without_ fail! I swear I'll get that Ra damn bracelet of hers…even if it's the _last_ thing I do!' He snarled at her retreating figure and clenched his fists. 'Now all I need to get myself is a duel disk. Why Bakura didn't get one in the first place is beyond me…stupid boy. I need a new body…come to think of it, hers would most _definitely_ suffice.' His snarl was replaced with a nasty smirk as he carefully stepped out of the shadows and headed down the road.

**xxXxxXxx**

Malik sat in his chambers, fuming like never before. A couple of his moronic servants had just informed him that the transport carrying his precious God cards had been intercepted, and one of them was stolen. His men claimed that they didn't know whom the vehicle had belonged to, but Malik knew better. In fact, he was pretty sure he knew _exactly_ who had taken it…

"ISHIZU! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" he bellowed as he threw his rod across the room like a spear and hit the door on the other side, causing it to burst open. "DAMMIT! I CAN'T BELIEVE THOSE FOOLS LET HER TAKE IT! SENDING THEIR PATHETIC MINDS TO THE SHADOW REALM ISN'T A SUITABLE PUNISHMENT! I WANT THEM TO-"

"Master Malik…" The enraged boy stopped screaming and looked up. Odeon stood before him, a calm presence surrounding him. "You need to relax. This isn't worth releasing that spirit again, now is it?"

Malik growled. He may have lost one of his God cards to the hands of his sister, but he still possessed another one. All had not been lost…

_Yet_.

He took in a deep breath and plopped back down in his chair. Odeon smiled and handed him his rod. Malik snatched it from his hands and growled, "Do you have any other news for me? If it's bad, I don't want to-"

"_Actually_ sir, I have very _good_ news. We have finished collecting all of your locator cards and already possess half of the one that I need to enter." The hooded man held up the fifteen glass cards for his master to admire.

Malik smirked. "That is good. Put them in a safe place." He then motioned for him to leave. Odeon nodded and did as he was commanded. Malik took in another deep breath and sighed. At this point, he wasn't sure if he cared about ruling the world anymore…it seemed like it was more of a false ploy now then anything else. All he wanted was for the despicable _thing_ that was living inside of him to go away. He growled as the ugly feeling of loneliness and sadness swept through him…the same awful feeling that had been haunting him for the past six years.

"I hate this stupid depression! It never leaves me alone…ever." He bit his lower lip as he struggled to hold back the tears he felt welling up inside of him. "Shit." He quickly ran from his room, and out onto his private balcony that overlooked a small body of water.

He was starting to feel it again…the pain of not having her around. She was the only person in the entire world that had ever made him happy, aside from his stupid sister and trusty servant. But without her, he felt like nothing. He leaned onto the railing, tightly clenching his teeth and eyes shut in a final attempt to hold back the tears that were already freely flowing down his tanned cheeks. "DAMMIT!" He banged his fists on the cold, metal bars.

He tried to hide these emotions from his servants, and was most often able to get away without any of them noticing. But once in a while, someone would walk in on him…and lets just say that you _definitely_ wouldn't want to be that someone…

Malik took in another deep breath as he brought a hand to his face and wiped away his tears. He didn't have time to feel this way now…he had more important things to deal with. Then again, he wondered why he did this to himself when he knew full well that Tea was the one who mattered most to him; way more than some random evil plot.

He gazed out at the water with glossy violet eyes, took in another deep breath, and swallowed his pain. 'I may lose everything to that Ra damned Pharaoh,' he thought bitterly, a snarl crossing his lips, 'but I am **not** going to lose her!'

**xxXxxXxx**

By the end of the day, Joey and Yugi had managed to scrounge up six locator cards, leaving only four to win for tomorrow. Mai had won seven, while Tea had out beat them all by winning eight cards in total.

That evening, they all headed off in opposite directions: Yugi and Yami to the museum (although it was unknown to Tea at the time), Joey to the hospital to visit his sister, Tea to the hotel, and Mai to the mall for some late night shopping.

Tea stumbled into the Holiday Inn's revolving doors, mumbling as she went. She had never felt so tired in all her life. She walked over to the front desk, placed her arms on top of it, and buried her face within them.

After a few seconds had passed, she felt two arms slowly wrap themselves around her waste and a head rest itself on her back. This was all followed by her aunt's sickeningly sweet voice in her ear: "Aw, I think somewon's tieyrd! Just how many duels did you play today?"

"Why don't you guess."

"Guess? Oh, I don't know! Um…five?"

"No."

"Six?"

"Nope."

"Okay, um, how about seven?"

"Nuh-uh"

"Nine?"

"What the…WHERE DID EIGHT GO?" Tea retorted, pushing her aunt away. "Ug, whatever. I'm going to go to bed now."

"Yup, I'd most definitely have to say that someone is cranky and in need of a nap," her aunt whispered to another lady behind the counter who merely smiled. "Oh, WAIT TEA!"

"What? I'm right here! You don't gotta yell!"

"Ok, you are gonna be _so_ happy when I tell you whose coming to visit tomorrow!" She hastily clapped her hands together, grinning like mad. "You're turn to guess!"

"Is it Santa Clause?" her niece asked in a tedious tone, glaring at the over-excited woman with half open eyes.

"No, silly!"

"Then I give up. Who's -" She cut herself off in mid sentence, eyes growing wide. "Oh my Ra! LYRA'S COMING!"

"Bingo! She's coming early this year because she wants to watch you duel. I told her you're as good as they come!"

"That's because I AM as good as they come," Tea replied smirking. "You were only stating the obvious." She then yawned and turned around to head upstairs to her room. "Look, I'll see you tomorrow. I need to go to bed now. Bye-bye."

"Goodnight Tea, but you do know that it's only 8:00, right?" her aunt asked, checking her watch.

Tea shrugged. "What's your point? I'm tired…goodnight, and don't bother waking me up tomorrow. I'll set my alarm." She then walked into the elevator and disappeared.

"Right. The last time she set her alarm, she screamed and chucked it across the room, smacking one of the maids in the head," Alex mumbled under her breath. "Like I'd ever trust her with one of _those_ ever again…"

**---An hour later---**

Tea hadn't gone to sleep just yet. She was lying on her bed, watching the latest episode of Teen Titans. That is, until her evil phone rang…well actually, this one wasn't the same wicked phone that had attacked her head that one faithful morning. She had actually thrown that out the window a couple days ago…

_Ring_!

"What the hell? I told her not to bother me!" Tea moaned as she crawled across her bed to reach her phone.

_Rin_-

"WHAT?"

"Hey, Tea?"

"Yugi?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Oh, sorry about-"

"Look, can you meet me out in the back of your building in, let's say, ten minutes? There's something I have to tell you."

"Uh…sure. What about?"

"I'll tell you when we meet, alright? See ya." _CLICK_.

Tea stared stupidly at the phone. "Um, okay. That was very unlike Yugi…hmmm. Whatever."

She quickly threw on some shoes and a jacket and headed out the door. When she got outside, it wasn't Yugi who was standing there waiting for her, but it was Yami, casually leaning against the back of the building. He smiled as he saw her emerge from the building.

'Yami?' Tea thought perplexed. 'What's he doing here?' She cautiously walked up to him, stopping a few feet in front of him. "Hey there, Yami. What's up?" She gave him a nervous smile.

"Hello Tea. I'm sorry to have bothered you, but we need to talk." His smile had long faded and had been replaced with a very somber look.

"Uh, sure. What's up?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Yugi and I visited the museum's Egyptian exhibit today and we met a woman who gave me this card. I believe that she was the same woman that you had met…Ishizu Ishtar. Ring a bell? Well this card…it's another God card."

Tea stared at him in shock as he extended his arm and held out the card for her to take. She didn't take her eyes off of him as she took it from his hand.

'But I thought she only had my card and Obelisk, which she had already given to Kaiba! Who is this?' She stared down at it, feeling as confused as ever. 'How did she get a third one?'

"Its name is Slyfer the Sky Dragon. Ishizu gave it to me because she claimed that I am one of the few who can wield it. That's when she revealed to me who I was long ago…my _past_."

Tea couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sure, it was great that her team was able to obtain another God card, but why couldn't he wait until the morning to tell her? And what did he mean by 'who he was in the past?' Did he mean when he wasn't a spirit? When he had had his own body?

"Yami, I'm afraid that I don't understand…why are you telling me…what do you mean by-"

"You see Tea, it turns out that I am, in fact, an ancient Pharaoh that ruled over Egypt approximately 5000 years ago…" He frowned and lowered his gaze. "Unfortunately, I know nothing more than that."

Tea's breathing came to an abrupt halt. _He _was the ancient pharaoh? _Yami_ was the one whom her past self had fallen in love with? The spirit of the puzzle? Yugi's darker half? YAMI WAS THE PHARAOH? She carefully brought one of her hands up to her heart, hoping its pulsating beat would decelerate before it ruptured through her chest.

'Well, that would explain why I would get those weird feelings when I'm around him. But then, why aren't I in love with him now? Technically, if I'm the reincarnation of Anzu and he's the ancient spirit of her past husband, then wouldn't that be some sort of sign…second chance?' She slowly shook her head. 'No…it just couldn't be. I do _not_ love him, nor do I love Yugi. They're just my friends…'

Her body may have enjoyed the spirit's delicate touch, but her heart knew better then to heed to a mere _physical_ attraction. In fact, sometimes, when she found herself beginning to feel somewhat _giddy_ in his presence, she'd simultaneously feel a twinge of uneasiness in the pit of her stomach; like she knew that something was wrong with the situation, but couldn't figure out what.

Maybe this is why Ishizu hadn't revealed who he was sooner…she probably had already seen this coming.

Yami gave her a concerned look. "Tea?"

Her eyes darted up from the ground. "Yes?"

"I also found out where your bracelet came from, or should I say who it belonged to. It was my queen's…Anzu Mazaki. Have you ever heard that name before?"

Tea's face grew pale. 'Have I heard that name before? I AM HER! Or WAS her…'

Yami took a step closer to her, causing her flinch and take one step back. He didn't notice the fear in her eyes, or the nervousness that she was displaying towards him. Either that or he was doing a _really_ good job of ignoring it.

"There was also this tablet that Ishizu showed me…it was kind of like, um, what do you call those funny cartoons? You know, with the boxes and the words inside those bubbles?" He gave her a funny look.

Tea broke away from his dark, crimson eyes, and returned her gaze to the ground. "Um…do you mean a comic strip?"

"Ah, yes, a comic strip…it was like a comic strip without words, and it was portraying the last event that occurred during Anzu's life. But since most of it is cut off, no one knows how it ends, or understands what it means. But that woman - the queen I mean - she looked a lot like you, Tea. She looked _very much_ like you." He took another step towards her while she took one back, except this time she could go no further…

Her back had collided with a brick wall.

'UG, WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK THAT I LOOK LIKE A FREAKIN' STONE CARVING?' Tea mentally screamed. 'And where is all this fear coming from? I was never this afraid of him, was I? Oh Ra…he doesn't think that I'm Anzu, does he? Because technically I'm NOT! And he doesn't know about my childhood, or how I obtained this bracelet, or ANYTHING for that matter, does he? Ishizu wouldn't do that to me!' She slowly looked up, only to see that Yami had come within inches of her face. She gulped, blushing like mad. 'What does he think he's doing!' She bit her lower lip…_hard_.

"Tea," he whispered in a deep, raspy voice, leaning one of his arms against the wall behind her. "I believe…I believe that you and my queen are one in the same. That would explain why I seem to have such strong feelings for you; why I felt like I've met you before…_loved_ you before." He reached up and softly ran his hand across her cheek, gently caressing her skin with his thumb. Tea clenched her teeth and closed her eyes. She had never felt so uncomfortable in her entire life.

Yami then brought his lips up to her ear and whispered, "I also believe that you feel the same way that I do…I've seen the way that you react to my touch. I _know_ that you've felt it before…you can feel it now, can't you?"

Tea wanted to scream, but felt like her voice had disappeared. She even found it hard to breathe. First of all, he was WAY to close to her face for comfort. Second, he didn't know how she felt! Those feelings weren't even hers! They just sort of came out on their own! Maybe her bracelet was what caused her to yearn for him in the first place…as some sort of sign that he was connected to her past. It made sense, didn't it? And finally, she may have been his queen in the past, but that didn't mean that she had to be his queen in this day in age…

She belonged to _no one_.

Yami took her silence and tightly clenched eyes as a chance to prove his point. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers, savoring their delectable flavor. He wanted her so _badly_…her very touch and taste lit this burning desire within him that he thought would consume his very soul. She was amazing…incredible…_intoxicating_.

Her eyes widened as he attempted to deepen the kiss. 'Oh my Ra! Oh my _freaking_ Ra!'

This was not happening…

This could not _possibly_ have been happening!

And yet…it was…

But she _wasn't_ liking it.

As she felt him run his sizzling tongue along the bottom of her lip, pleading for entrance, she realized that enough was enough…now he was trying to take advantage of her and she did _not_ like that…

'STOP!' she mentally screamed as she broke their connection and pushed him away. She glared at him with teary eyes and whispered, "Please stop…"

Yami stared at her, shocked and confused. "But Anzu, I thought-"

"_What_ did you just call me?" she hissed, wiping her eyes. It was one thing to kiss her without permission, but to call her by the wrong name? This boy was _so_ dead!

"I…I called you…" He paused for a moment, feeling extremely confused. "I called you Tea, didn't I?"

"_No_, you called me _ANZU_. I am _NOT_ Anzu! My name is _Tea_, and I may possess a bracelet that belonged to your queen, but that DOESN'T make me _her_." She gave him a piercing gaze.

Yami backed away a couple of steps and looked up at her with saddened eyes. "Forgive me, Tea. I…I don't know what came over me. You just seemed so familiar to me…I guess that I just had to know why I had these feelings for you all this time. I'm so sorry…"

Tea hugged herself and pressed her body against the cold, bricks behind her, eyes directed towards the ground. "I'm sorry Yami, but I don't feel that way and I can't _make_ myself feel that way either. Who I was or may have been in the past doesn't determine who I am now or will be in the future…" She looked up at his disappointed eyes. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you and the others about this before…I guess it was just as shocking for me to hear as it was for you. But you know, regardless of everything, I will always be your friend…" She pushed herself off of the wall and smiled sheepishly. "_Always_…"

Yami shoved his hands into his pockets and coughed a couple of times. "Yes, I…I know."

Tea couldn't be mad at him, could she? The poor guy had been living within that puzzle for centuries without any knowledge of who he was or why he was there. He was probably hoping that she would give him some more answers…show him that there was something worth living for.

"I'm sorry, Yami. I really hope you can understand…" She had never felt so low in all her life. But it was true. She didn't love him and it wasn't fair for her to give him what he desired if it wasn't something she wanted as well.

"I understand…it's my fault. I really should have asked permission first." He took a couple more steps back and smiled to the best of his ability. It was obvious that he was crushed, though, because he was doing a _horrible_ job of hiding his disappointment.

"Yami…" Tea began, but was cut off as a bright light enveloped him, and replaced him with his light. Tea sighed and rubbed away the sleepiness that was oozing from her eyes. "Hey there Yugi…"

Yugi bit his lower lip. He had seen and heard everything that had happened…Yami had been careless and had not closed the link that connected their minds. He slowly approached her, looking as guilty as ever. "I'm, uh…sorry about-"

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault, nor was it his. Let's just forget about it, ok? Hopefully, he'll get over it before the finals tomorrow."

"But I could have stopped-"

She held up her hand. "Just _forget_ _it_ Yugi. Please…I'm really tired." She then handed him his God card that she still had tightly clenched in-between her fingers. "Cool dragon ya got there…it'll be interesting to see how our Gods face off, huh?"

He nodded, gently took the card from her hands, and smiled. "Um, yeah. It'll definitely be something."

Yeah, she could forget about this. She had told Yami the truth…it's not like she could lie just to make him happy. "Goodnight Yugi."

"Night Tea…see ya in the morning," he replied, turning to leave, but stopped as a thought crossed his mind. "Wait, Tea?"

"Hmm?"

He paused for a moment. "Where did you get that bracelet of yours?"

Oh dear…

She knew that this question was going to be asked sooner or later. Luckily she had planned what she would say ahead of time. "Oh, um…I got it while I lived back in Egypt…a gift from my mother before she died…family heirloom." Yeah, she lied, but it was only a small white lie that couldn't harm a fly…right? It's not like she could tell him the truth. It was already enough that he knew whom her bracelet had once belonged to.

"Oh…I see. Well, I was also wondering…I mean I know that your bracelet has the power to detect spirits, but does it have any other powers? I know that all Millennium items have numerous unique abilities, and I'm sure that I haven't unlocked all of mine as of yet, but…I was just wondering if you knew of any others that yours may have. I've been meaning to ask you…" The violet-eyed boy eyed her intently as he awaited an answer.

'Of course he has to know now…' Tea thought bitterly. She was going to have to lie again. If she told him the truth, he'd just ask more questions and she'd never get to sleep. "Um…well, I think that it may have a few others, but I'm not so certain what they are. It does a lot of strange things - mostly at these weird, random times and its not really able to click in my mind fast enough for me to understand what's happened…get my drift?"

"Interesting…" he replied, pondering over what she had said. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. I can clearly see that you're tired…so am I." He smiled and waved. "I'll see ya later…and once again, I'm really-"

"If you're about to apologize to me again, save your breath. I already _told_ you that he's _forgiven_." She forced a smile. "Goodnight, Yugi."

He laughed nervously. "Night Tea." He then quickly turned and ran off down the darkened street.

Tea let out a long sigh as she walked towards the back door of the hotel, but paused in the entryway, thinking about something Yami had said. 'A tablet that showed the last event that had occurred during Anzu's life…hm. I'll have to go check it out tomorrow. Though, if Ishizu didn't tell me about it, than it must not be all that important.' She shrugged her shoulders and headed inside.

'At least I don't have any more feelings for Yami anymore…one's that I cannot explain…HEY! THOSE FEELINGS ARE GONE!' She stopped in front of the elevator, put a finger to her lips, and smirked. She hadn't experienced any strange tingling sensations, shivers up her spine, or any other lustrous feeling for that matter…and he had _kissed_ her. 'No offense to the poor guy or anything, but I'm kinda glad…'

Why she was glad she had no idea. It's not like she was _saving_ her feelings for someone else…

**xxXxxXxx**

Ok…that gets the T/Y stuff out of the way. I had a really hard time writing this chapter…I was unsure of how to let him down. Sorry to all you Yami fans out there, but this just had to be done. OH! And that whole part about Tea deciding that it wasn't fair for her and Yami to be together because it wasn't something she wanted **is _very_ important**…remember that!

**Random Notes: **

**1. **Serenity is going to be a year younger than the others, making her about 16. She'll also be extremely OOC due to the minor fact that her true persona _irks_ me to no end. Just thought I'd give you all a heads up on that.

Bye!


	9. Who's Namu?

I DID IT! I MADE IT TO 100! THANK YOU ALL! Sorry that this is kinda late…I had to catch up on all my homework, and it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be…I have no idea WHAT I was thinking. _Easy_ homework…yeah right!

**READ ME:** Here's the deal…I noticed that some people want me to write out a couple duels in here, esp. since you guys don't know what's in Tea's deck. I was planning on doing that during the BC finals, but I am willing to reveal a couple monsters she's got a little earlier. However, some of the monsters won't have accurate attack and defense points, and none of the duels I write will be all that accurate or complete. Just thought I'd let ya'll know. U

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Well, yeah I do…but it isn't yugioh (--)

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 9**: Who's Namu?

It was exactly 11:59 a.m., which wasn't _too_ late in the day to awaken. The sun's hot rays were _still_ shining brightly upon the earth, the birds were _still_ singing their cheerful melodies, and people were _still_ emerging from their homes to continue dueling and having fun. No, it wasn't late at all, but it was quiet. _Too_ quiet…

_BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-_

"AAAAAAAGH!" Tea screamed, bolting upright. Her goaded eyes, half concealed by her messy bangs, frantically searched her room for the source of the noise. And there it was…her precious alarm clock, buzzing loudly on the opposite side of her room. This must have been her aunt's doing. Why else would that friggin' piece of shit be out of smashing range? She clenched her teeth, and narrowed her eyes, concentrating hard on the spot where it sat.

A short while ago, she had been able to create the golden shield on her own by tapping into her physical energy and transferring it to her bangle. If she was able to do it once before on a very _persistent_ guy at school, then why couldn't she do it again on one of her many irritating alarm clocks?

The eye in the center of her bracelet finally began to glow, as did her own, and after a few short seconds, a luminescent, yellow light shot out of her wrist and hit the clock head on, resulting in a semi-loud explosion. If only she had known how to do that six years back…

"Ha…serves you right, ya dirty piece-uh-shit." She grinned at its charred remains that had become engraved within the wall, her eyes reverting to their normal deep blue. "The only problem is that my aunt is gonna kill if she finds out that I broke another one…I think this must have been my 15th or something. Oh well. I guess I can just blame its disappearance on the cleaning ladies."

She yawned and stretched her tired joints, hoping to rid herself of the sleepiness that still remained. She then slowly got up, walked across the room, peeled the remaining shards of her clock off of the wall, and threw them in the garbage. "Might need to fix that hole in the wall though - eh, I'll just blame that on the cleaning ladies too!" She then proceeded to place a large vase full of tall sunflowers in front of it, chuckling softly. "Then again, she doesn't have to know!"

**xxXxxXxx**

"TEA! I'm going to have to _KILL_ YOU!" a voice boomed upon entering her hotel room, the person stomping loudly as they went.

"Hm?" Tea mumbled as she poked her head out of the bathroom door, a toothbrush dangling lifelessly from her mouth. "Wha wid wou way?"

The person burst into her bedroom, panting heavily. Her blonde hair was slightly tousled and her bright blue eyes were narrowed into tiny slits. Tea wondered how she was able to make her way through the room without crashing into a wall.

"Hi Awex," she gurgled nonchalantly as she continued to brush her teeth. A small giggle escaped her throat. "Wha happen wo wou?"

Alex growled and pointed to the sink. "Spit!"

Tea frowned, but did as she was told. Upon exiting the bathroom, she asked, "What's you're problem? It looks like you - oh no…did you get into another fight with Mike?" She crossed her arms and gave her a stern look.

"Why you…DON'T YOU TRY TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT ON ME, LITTLE MISSY! It only proves that you're GUILTY!" her aunt cried as she pointed an accusing finger at her, growling like an irate lion that was ready to pounce. And what _really_ scared Tea was that it truly looked like she was…

She sighed. "How bad was it?"

Her aunt opened her mouth, planning on screaming at that last remark, but let out a long sigh instead. There was no hiding _anything_ from that girl. She dropped her arms to her sides and lowered her head. "Bad…"

Tea extended her lower lip into a large frown. "Aw, you poor thing!" She walked over to where her aunt stood and embraced her tightly. "What happened?"

Alex sighed and returned the hug. "He's says that he's upset because I'm supposedly spending more time at the hotel than I do with him. God, is that all he can think about? HIMSELF? I love that stupid son of a bitch! If I didn't than I wouldn't have spent the last three _goddamn _years of my life with him, now would I? All I ever tried to do was make him happy…" She bit her lower lip as her eyes became glossy with tears. "I hate this…I mean at this point, it's either sink or swim, right? I'm 28 firggin' years old, and I'm NOT getting any younger!"

Hmmm. Where had she heard this one before? Oh yeah…she had just had this same conversation with Lyra not too long ago, except it was because she had broken up with her boyfriend. She was pretty upset about it because now she was afraid that she was getting too old to date anymore. Heh, the woman's 31 and looked like she was still in college! Eh, it didn't matter anymore. This had only worked out to her advantage because she had _plans_ for the unsuspecting woman and the fact that she was coming tonight for the finals made everything that much _sweeter_.

Now, back to the problem at hand…

Tea let out a long sigh and began. "No, you aren't, but neither is he. Every couple has their fair share of fights…it would be weird - not to mention slightly disturbing - if they didn't. Besides, I've seen the way he looks at you…and if that wasn't love that I saw in his eyes, then my name is Britney Spears, and THANK RA it isn't! Trust me, that guy has fallen head over heels for you, and I don't think that he's ever planning to let go."

Alex pushed her away and gave her a funny look; the tears that once consumed her eyes had disappeared without a trace. "Um…who are you, and what have you done with my little tomboy?"

Tea gave her a small shove. "Oh, I was just _trying_ to help!"

Her aunt laughed. "Well, thank you…you have."

She smiled. It was amazing how much she knew about these things even though she had never actually been in a serious relationship herself…not that she _wanted_ to be in one. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I still have a few more duels to win and then I gotta head over to the museum for a short while. In the mean time, you know what you should do? Arrange to take some time off…spend it with Michael. It'll help you two sort everything out."

Alex snorted. "And this is coming from lil' miss, 'Oh, I'm never dating a boy because they're gross, disgusting, and pathetic creatures that like to burp the alphabet after chugging a two liter bottle of coke!'"

Tea rolled her eyes and escorted her towards the door. "Any girl whose friends with Joey and Tristin would have to agree with me on that one!"

"HEY!" Alex cried, pushing her way back into the room. "I still haven't found out if you were the one who caused the _explosion_ that was heard earlier!"

Oh shit…so close yet so far. Time to think of something, quick! "Um…do you _see_ anything that could possibly indicate that a so called '_explosion_' had occurred in here?" She raised a brow.

There was a short pause while her aunt surveyed the perfectly tidy room. "Damn, aren't you teenagers supposed to be messy or something?"

Tea rolled her eyes. "Ok, that's enough…goodbye!" She then pushed her aunt out of the room and into the hall. "Go take a break!"

Her aunt laughed. "Yeah…sure. I've got my eye on you Tea…nothing gets past these babies." She pointed to her bright, blue orbs. Tea merely stuck out her tongue and proceeded to shut the door.

"Wait, Tea!"

"What is it now?"

He aunt smiled and gave her one last hug. "Thanks…you know you give me better advice than most of my married friends do."

"(sigh) I know, and you're welcome."

"Seriously…I don't know what I'd _ever_ do without you."

Upon shutting the door, Tea walked over to the dry erase board that was hanging next to her bed and wrote "_buy spackle_" in Arabic (just in case her aunt happened to come back in later). There was no way in _hell_ that she could allow her aunt to find out that there was a decent sized hole in her wall, especially after all that mushy crap.

She proceeded to grab a scrunchie off her desk, throw her hair up into a messy ponytail, snatch her backpack off of her bed, and head out the door. It was time to _duel_!

**xxXxxXxx**

'Ok, only two more cards,' Tea thought as she crossed the street and headed out towards her conveniently parked car. Now, if only she could find another duelist…

"HEY YOU!" a voice cried.

She paused in front of her car door, her keys frozen in the mid-air. She slowly turned around to see a young boy approaching her at an alarming speed. 'Hey, haven't I seen him before?' The kid was fairly short with slightly long brown hair, purple bangs, black eyes, and had red ski-cap atop his head.

"You're Tea Gardner, right?" he asked as he stopped in front of her, panting slightly. "I remember you. It's me, Rex Raptor, from Duelist Kingdom…ring a bell?" He smirked expectantly.

Tea looked down at him and smiled back. "Oh yeah…how could I forget 'Dino Boy'?" Her smile soon faded as she thought, _'Creepy_ dino boy.'

"Yeah, well I gotta duel someone…I only need four more locator cards and then its off to the Battle City Finals for me!" He pulled out his six glass cards and held them up for her to admire.

"How nice," she replied, putting on a fake smile. "So I guess that ya wanna duel me, huh?"

"Um…no. I just came up to you so that I could randomly brag about my six glorious victories…OF COURSE I want to duel you!" he cried, rolling his eyes.

"Uh-huh." Eh, this shouldn't take too long, especially since the kid didn't have his Red Eyes…not that it mattered so much. "Fine then. You have yourself an opponent."

"HA! Have any last requests lil' darling, cause Rexy boy is gonna kick yo' ass!" the tiny boy shrieked, putting some distance between them so that they could start dueling.

'_Lil' darling?_ _Rexy_ _boy_? Who the hell does this kid think he is? More importantly, _what _the hell does he think he is?' she thought horrified. Ah well…it'll all be over soon. He was in for a big surprise, and it wasn't her Goddess card…

She took a few steps back as well, set her backpack down on the ground, and pulled out her duel disk. She then slipped it onto her left arm and stuck her deck within its appropriate slot.

"Ah, lookie here…my fans are gathering to watch me beat you into a miserable pulp! You ready, Tea?" He grinned as he put his duel disk on his arm.

Tea scanned the decent sized crowd for any of her friends, but she was unable to spot any. "Um, yeah. Sure."

"Then LET'S DUEL!" He drew five cards, as did she, and began to laugh like an insane maniac. "What LUCK! I just drew the card that'll seal your fate! This duel is over, cause I play my TWO-HEADED KING REX IN ATTACK MODE!" He began to jump up and down like an excited little kid in a candy store. "I'd like to see ya beat that! He's got an attack power of _1900_!"

Tea grinned. Yea, this wouldn't take long at all. "Fine…I play Dark Magician Girl, in attack mode. Say bye-bye to your little dragon…"

---**Five Minutes Later**---

"Could we please move this along here? There's somewhere else that I have to go," Tea inquired in an annoyed tone as she waited for the anxious Dino Boy to make his move…not that anything he did would help him now. He was down to his last 500 life points, while she still had 3000 of hers.

Rex clenched his teeth and snarled. There was no way he was going to let some wimpy girl beat him! He still had one last trick up his sleeve…or at least he thought he did. "OK! I put one card face down, and play Baby Dragon in defense mode!" The crowd exchanged amused looks.

Tea laughed. How cute…"Ok then, I play Harpie's Feather Duster and wipe away your last, pathetic chance to win this duel." Rex's determined expression slowly faded as he watched his face down card disintegrate into a thousand, tiny pixels. Scanning the cards in her hand, she added: "I also play Marie the Fallen One, in attack mode!"

He looked up at her and smiled nervously. "Um…mercy?"

Tea slowly shook her head. "Nice try, buddy. Marie, baby! You _know_ what to do…" In response to her command, the sulking blue woman slowly rose from the ground and proficiently complied with her commander's wishes.

Rex cringed.

"I, uh…" he began, morosely staring at his hand, "I summon Crawling Dragon…in defense mode."

Tea sighed. Pointless. It was all, utterly _pointless_. Geeze, was he even _trying_ anymore?

"Marie…" was all she said before the dragon was gone, leaving the boy utterly defenseless. "Alright, I think that this little lady has had her fair share of fighting, so I'll sacrifice her to summon my other favorite monster…" She closed her eyes and pulled another card from her deck. A huge, toothy grin fashioned on her face as she slapped it down on her disk. Damn, did she love that heart of the cards stuff! "Meet Saint Joan…in attack mode."

Rex screamed as the powerful, winged saint attacked the remainder of his life points, knocking him to the ground. Not even his King Rex could have stood up to that…that monster had 2500 attack points! He slowly got up and walked over to where she stood, holding out his highest card and all of his locator cards for her to take. "Nice duel…here's your prize."

Tea laughed. "I don't need all of those! I only need two, and you can keep your dinosaur." She gently pulled two of the six glass cards from the boy's hand and slipped them into her backpack.

"But…you're supposed to take my highest card! You won! It's only fair," Rex insisted, shoving his card into her hands.

"No really, I-"

"Take it and kick someone else's ass for me, will ya? Preferably Joey's…" His saddened face perked up a bit as a smirk crossed his lips. "You're definitely not some wimpy girl, Tea. I should have realized that before. Have a good one, ok? See ya around…"

"Um…" was all she managed to get out, for he was already heading off down the street. The crowd slowly began to disperse, a couple congratulating her here and there. She looked down at the purple dino in her hand and smiled. 'Sure…I'll be glad to whoop Joey's ass with this for ya. Besides, it's what I do best!'

**xxXxxXxx**

"Alright Odeon, I'm leaving…" Malik growled as he stepped out of his room. He was wearing a semi-tight, black muscle shirt that revealed his well-toned chest, beige khakis, and of course all of his formal gold jewelry. Odeon nodded and handed his master a black sports bag that contained his duel disk, deck, locator cards, and rod. Malik snatched it from his servant's hands. "I hope that you have the replica of my rod and all that you will need to enter…"

"Yes, Master Malik. I have everything that I'll need. Your bike is waiting for you out front. Number Five gave it a good tune-up just as you had requested," the elder man replied. "I shall see you later sir…at the docks."

"Perfect…" Malik hissed. He was planning on having a little fun with the Pharaoh and his so called friends. "Make sure that Two and Three keep an eye on the girl for me, ok? I don't want to run into her and I DO NOT want her to be harmed, because if she is…"

"Yes, sir. They know not to lay a finger on Tea…they shall only observe and warn you if she comes too close."

"Very well…but I _still_ do not trust them." The lavender-eyed boy snarled as he turned around and headed towards a tall, wooden door that led to the outside.

"Uh, Master Malik, sir?" the black-haired man called after him.

Malik stopped walking and sighed. "Yes, Odeon?"

"Sorry to keep you, but I was just wondering…what will your alias be if I am to pose as yourself?"

The blonde haired boy merely smirked. "Namu…I will merely be known as _Namu_."

**xxXxxXxx**

Tea impatiently pounded on the thick, glass doors of the tall building in front of her. Apparently, since most of the streets were still blocked off due to the tournament, the museum was still closed. She could only hope that a couple of Ishizu's deranged bodyguards were standing close by, or that the woman already knew she was coming. Sure enough, within a few seconds she heard a series of loud clicks on the other side of the door.

That was pretty fast…

"Hello there, Tea."

She smirked. "Well I'll be damned! Lemme guess…you _knew_ I was coming, didn't you?"

The Ishizu crossed her arms and grinned. "As a matter of fact, I did."

"Figures," Tea mumbled as she brushed past her and stepped inside. "What, do you own this place now or something?"

"Maybe…"

Once the two had entered the Egyptian exhibit, Tea began to roam around aimlessly, looking for the strange tablet that Yami had described to her last night.

"May I ask what it is you are looking for?" Ishizu asked politely, as she stepped up beside the curious girl who was currently examining a large, stone tablet with a carving of two _very_ familiar boys.

"Holy shit…this guy looks exactly like Yugi! Or Yami…I mean, who else has hair like that?" the brunette exclaimed, completely dumbfounded. "And this other guy…who is he? It looks like he's got a blue eyes…(gasp) Oh my Ra, IS THAT _KAIBA_?"

Ishizu nodded. "Yes…this is the Pharaoh, which you dubbed 'Yami,' and his High Priest, Seto…they were sworn enemies in the past, and that is most likely why they detest one another today. You know, most of your friends, or people that you know, probably existed as a different person back in ancient Egypt. Not all of them, but I'd have to say most."

Tea thought for a moment. People she knew…well, she knew Seto and Yami - _wait_. Could _he_ have possibly lived back then? She turned towards the older woman. "Do you think that Malik…?"

Ishizu opened her mouth to speak, but merely shook her head instead. "I…that I do not know, but if I had to guess, I would have to say yes…" She gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

Tea nodded slowly. It would probably be best to leave it at that. "Hey, um, lemme just get to the point of why I came here…"

The black-haired woman gasped. "You mean, you didn't just come to visit me?"

Tea rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha, very funny. But seriously…I came here to see -" She cut herself off as a nagging thought entered her mind. "Wait…before I forget, I wanna ask you something. How did you manage to obtain that third God card for Yugi? I thought you only had two…no, I _know_ that you only had two. I mean, the only other way you could have possibly gotten hold of the third is if you-"

"_Stole_ it," Ishizu said, finishing her sentence. "I stole it from my brother."

Tea looked at her like she was nuts. "And how in Ra's name did you manage to do that?"

Ishizu merely laughed and pointed to her necklace. "With the help of this, I was able to know when and where his henchmen would be transporting the cards from Egypt. I had my men do the rest for me." She laughed again. The look on Tea's face was just priceless.

"Damn, Ishizu. You know, you never cease to amaze me."

"Actually, yes. I _do_ know."

Tea grinned. She _knows_. Yeah, that was Ishizu for you. "Is there anything that you _don't_ know?"

"No."

Tea stopped grinning. "You know, that really isn't funny." She then took in a deep breath and sighed. Should she bring it up? Aw, hell, that damn woman probably already knew, right? That's why she hadn't told her about it before. "Then you must know about that little incident that occurred last night between the former Pharaoh and I, huh?"

Ishizu sighed and looked away. "I…I do, and I'm sorry. I wanted to you the truth about the spirit during our first reunion; I really did, but…my necklace warned me not to. I know that it would definitely have made things a lot less-"

"_No_, Ishizu. It _wasn't_ your fault. The poor guy's been around for thousands of years. I'm sure all he wanted was a chance to feel what is was like to love someone again, even if they didn't love them back."

Ishizu tilted her head to the side, frowning slightly. "Oh, I see…so you two aren't…?"

"I thought that _you_ would know since you're a psychic and all," Tea replied, glaring at the prophet.

The raven-haired woman shook her head. "Tea, I am able to use my necklace to see into the past and future…I _cannot_ use it to determine how someone is _feeling_."

The brown-haired girl laughed nervously. Right…her bad. "Oh…well, no. I don't feel that way about him. I mean I _thought_ that I did, but…no."

"You mean you used to have feelings for him?" The moment the question had left her lips, Ishizu regretted it.

Tea looked down at her shoes. "I…well yeah, sorta, I mean-"

"I'm sorry, Tea. I won't make you explain it to me if you don't want to."

Tea slowly shook her head. "It's not that…it's just that it's all so confusing for me, and I don't really want to have to worry about it now." There. That didn't sound like too big of a lie…did it? Cause technically, it wasn't.

To prevent there from being any awkward silences, Tea immediately asked, "Um, what I really came here to see, aside from you of course, was the tablet about Anzu…the one that displays the last few days of her life? Yami had briefly mentioned it last night, so I thought it would be smart to come check it out for myself."

Ishizu smiled. "Of course…this way." She walked over to a large, horizontal stone a few feet over. "Sadly, most of it is cut off and I am unable to decipher its true meaning. And most of the words that still remain have long faded and are completely impossible to read." Before Tea had a chance to respond, she added, "And if you're wondering why I hadn't shown it to you before, it's because it had just arrived last night, moments before your friend had come to visit."

Tea followed the Egyptian to the place where the stone was displayed and gasped. That girl…she _did_ look just like her, except she had longer hair and narrower eyes. It was very strange though…Egyptian art wasn't supposed to be very proficient at bringing out the details of a person, one being that it was 2D, and two, the art wasn't drawn on paper; it was carved into stone, which must have made the drawing process a lot harder to control and perfect.

The first part of the stone portrayed Anzu sitting up on her bed, crying, with a woman standing alongside her. Tea could not make out who the other woman was because half of her head was missing. The second part illustrated the girl running away from the castle through a field of what appeared to be flowers. Underneath that given picture, there was part of a caption written in ancient Arabic that was still semi-readable: "dressed as a maid." The last part of the stone that still remained was of the queen kneeling in front of someone's house. A person was leaning over her and reaching out with their left hand, like they were offering to help her up off the ground. However, she was not able to make out who that person was either because their entire head was missing. She couldn't even tell if they were male or female.

"Wow…" was all she could say. "This is…so weird, I mean she looks just like me except…sadder."

"Yes, it is said that Anzu was not a very happy woman. I'm sure that if we were able to see what was on the rest of the tablet, we would be able to figure out why that was," Ishizu stated. She opened her mouth to say more, but her breath seemed to catch in her throat as her once calm features grew tense. 'Oh my…'

Tea was about to say something, but was cut off as soft, mechanical music filled the air. It seemed to be originating from her bag.

The psychic quickly shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. "What was…?"

"It's my phone," Tea replied, pulling it from her backpack.

Her friend smiled nervously. "Oh, of course…"

Tea smirked. Yeah right… "Hello?"

"Hey…"

Wait…was that Joey or Tristin? She couldn't tell…their connection wasn't so good, and their hoarse voice wasn't helping the situation. Time to take a wild guess…

"Joey?"

"Yeah, it's me. Look, I need your help." His voice was trembling…he sounded _really_ scared.

"Joey, are you ok? What's wrong?" She felt her body stiffen as she awaited his answer.

"I'm fine, but Bakura isn't…he's bleedin' - eh, it ain't so bad, but he does look pretty sick. He needs ta get ta da hospital right away, but I don't got a car. Aw, man, I didn't know what else ta do or who else ta call. Actually, I had tried dialin' 911, but get this…da _line_ was busy! Can ya _imagine_ dat? "

Shit, if it was that Ra damned tomb robber pretending to be Bakura again, she was _so_ going to pound his sorry ass. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know. This dude Namu's standing here wit me, holdin' him up cause he can't stand-"

"Wait what? Who's Namu?" Unbeknownst to Tea, Ishizu was debating over whether or not she should tell the girl what she was about to get herself into.

"Da guy dat found him…look, can ya come find us? Where are ya?"

Namu? Now that was a weird name…"Um, I'm at the museum, and yeah, I'll come find you. Where are you?"

Joey looked over at Namu. "Hey, um, do ya happen ta know where we are?"

'Imbecile…' Bakura thought bitterly. 'Can't find his way out of a friggin' sandbox…and that BETTER not be Tea he's talking to or else I may be forced to _painfully_ confiscate his manhood!'

The newcomer quickly looked around. "Um, I think that we're just a few miles down from the hospital…"

Joey put the phone back to his ear. "We're a few miles away from da hospital. Can ya come?"

Ok, so Joey didn't know where he was. Who saw _that_ one coming? "Could you please elaborate, Joey? I mean _near the hospital_ doesn't exactly help me…"

"Aw, shit. Hold on - just get ta your car."

Tea growled in frustration. "Look, Ishizu, I gotta go…see ya later, okay?" She then quickly whirled around and ran off.

"But Tea…WAIT!" Ishizu cried, reaching out to her, but it was too late. She was already out of hearing range. 'Oh no…she's most likely going to blame this entire ordeal on me…but I tried! I'll just have to try to explain myself tonight…at the _finals_.'

**xxXxxXxx**

The moment she reached her car, Tea scrambled inside and turned it on. "Hey, Joey? Ya still there?"

"Uh, yeah. Dammit, I still don't know where da frick we are! SHIT!"

"Hey, you need to relax and think for a second. What street are you on?"

There was a long pause before his voice came back on the line and said, "I dunno…I don't see a sign!"

Ug, this was getting nowhere fast…wait a minute. This was Joey she was talking to! Correction: this was _never_ going to get anywhere fast! "Ok, then can you ask Namu to help you figure out where you are?" It was weird how that name felt on her tongue…

Joey turned towards the dirty blonde and asked, "Hey dude! Do ya happen ta see a street sign somewhere?"

'Is he always this dumb?' Malik mentally asked the spirit.

'Yup…'

Malik raised his free arm to point to a sign that was located directly above their heads. Once he was sure that Joey wasn't looking at him anymore, he scowled. 'Dumbass…'

Joey nervously scratched the back of his head. "Oh, dere it is! We're on Domino Blvd. Dat ain't too far for ya, is it?"

"No, I'll be right there…oh, that's perfect! That's one of the only open roads! Tell Bakura to hang on, okay? I'm hanging up now...see ya in a few." In her thoughts she added, 'And tell his Yami that he better hold on to his freakin' ass, because if it's _him_ that I find waiting there, so help me Ra, I will KILL him!'

"Alrighty den…dang, what in da world would we do witout ya, Tea?"

'TEA?' both Malik and Bakura mentally screamed.

"Okay…bu-bye," Joey slipped his phone into his back pocket and knelt down in front of Bakura's Yami, grinning like mad. "Guess what, buddy? Joey Wheeler has saved da day…YET AGAIN! Tea's comin' ta pick ya up and take ya ta da hospital…everything's gonna be alright, ya hear?"

"That's good to hear…" he replied weakly. 'Now get your friggin' face out of mine before I bite your nose!'

Coincidentally, Joey stood up and ran over to the curb, probably so he could watch out for Tea.

'Shit, do you know what this means?' the tomb robber mentally asked Malik. The Egyptian didn't respond, but he continued anyway. 'It means that the moment she gets within 50 feet of me, her Ra damned bracelet will start glowing and let her know that I'm not really Bakura! DO YOU KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING THAT IS? Stupid wench…'

Malik had stopped listening. He was too busy worrying about how he was going to get himself out of the sticky situation he was about to enter. 'I gotta get outta here…she _cannot,_ under _any_ circumstances, see me! My cover will be blown before I am able to cause any damage!' He tuned back into what Bakura was saying, just in time to catch him say something he _really_ didn't like…

'Damn that lousy-no-good-bitch! If only she didn't have that Ra-damn bracelet…then I could suck out her good-for-nothing soul _out_ of her body and-'

'Watch it, albino!' he hissed.

Bakura snorted. 'Watch what? You've never even met the girl!'

'What do _you_ know?'

The spirit raised an intrigued brow. 'Don't TELL me that this wench is an acquaintance of yours…is she?'

No response.

'Well then…I must be free to dispose of her as I-' He stopped short as he felt a horrible stinging sensation ascend his wounded arm. He cried out in pain, but Joey didn't seem to have heard. 'What the hell was THAT?'

Malik growled. 'It was a warning _Bakura._'

'You have no right to speak to me that way! You do, and that Ra-damn deal to get your friggin' God cards is off!'

'Then you don't get my rod.'

Bakura smirked. 'I can always _take_ it from you…' Malik didn't respond. 'But I wonder…how is it that you know that stupid - OW! RA DAMMIT, STOP DOING THAT!'

'I said WATCH it, you stupid albino!'

It was Bakura's turn to growl. 'Fine…don't tell me.' He cut off the link and added to his own thoughts, 'It's obvious that he cares for the girl…how I don't know. I wonder if she cares the same way about him. She's never mentioned him to any of her friends…perhaps she's been _hiding_ this delicious piece of information. Well then…I guess I'll just _have_ use it to my…_advantage_.' He mentally smirked.

"AW, FINALLY! Dere she is! How's dat for record timing!"

Malik's body stiffened. Shit…what was he going to do now? So much for his lousy servants' help! They were going to have to be _severely_ punished the next time he saw them. He looked in the direction Joey was pointing. There was nowhere for him to run…could he trust her to keep her mouth shut? He mentally slapped himself for thinking such a foolish and naïve thing…

He was _so_ fricken dead.

**xxXxxXxx**

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Tea screamed, as she slowed to a stop. "STUPID STOP LIGHT!" She looked a block or so ahead and spotted her blonde haired friend standing next to the curb, waving frantically. So close…

She sighed and looked down at her bracelet. At least it wasn't…_nope_! There it went! Glowing like a fricken beacon! She felt her wrist begin to gently tug in Joey's direction. "Aw, shit! I don't have the time _or_ patience for this right now! WHY ME?" She banged her head on her steering wheel, causing it to honk a couple of times. She did not like where this day was going.

Green light…

Tea pressed hard on the gas, causing her car to jerk forward. "That Ra dammed albino better hope that he has life insurance, cause after I'm done with him - aw SHIT!" She hadn't been paying attention to where she was going and ended up zooming right past the waving New Yorker. She immediately swerved in towards the curb and slammed on her brakes, screeching to an abrupt halt.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…" She smacked her head against the steering wheel in perfect sync with each "stupid" that exited her mouth. She wasn't sure she had enough energy to beat up that stupid spirit at the moment. She was just so tired and her head was beginning to pound again…probably because she kept banging her head on the hard wheel. Oh well. She'd get that Mother Fletcher sooner or later…

She jumped slightly as someone began to pound their fists on her passenger-side window. She slowly raised her head and rolled down the window, still muttering the word "stupid."

"Aw man! I wanted ta make faces at ya!" Joey remarked teasingly. Tea shot him a furious glare, causing him to jump back in alarm. "Wa-ho, there! Somebody don't look too happy! Man Bakura, it don't look like your ride ta da hospital is gonna be so pleasant. I almost pity ya."

Tea growled as she reached over to open her door, her eyes happening to wander over towards the front-view mirror. There he was…hanging limply from who she supposed was Namu's - _woah_…_wait_ a minute. She gasped as her eyes rested on the tanned boy. He had shoulder length platinum-blonde hair, piercing violet eyes, and a tall muscular frame. Oh dear Ra…that wasn't _Namu_. She quickly tore her eyes away from the mirror. Holy _shit_…

"Are ya getting' out any time soon?" Joey wined, sticking his head inside her window.

Tea placed a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. She couldn't move…she couldn't even _breathe_.

"Tea?"

She tried to answer him, but couldn't find her voice. It was…gone, but it didn't matter. She knew for a _fact_ who that boy was. His image had been etched within her brain for the past _six_ years…

'It's him…' she thought breathlessly. 'It's Malik.'

**xxXxxXxx**

_Almost_! Sorry, but this chapter got waaaaay too long to continue, so you just gotta wait! Please don't hate me!

Later


	10. The Inevitable Truth

Oh wow…I received over TWENTY REVIEWS that last chapter! THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS! You make me feel so special!

**GoddessOfImaginaryLightKokuei**: Wow…what a name! Hope I spelled it right! U But anyway you really think my story's the best? Really? Really-really? THANK YOU! I feel so loved! And I usually call her Tea, not Anzu. I mean I didn't even _know_ that her Japanese name was Anzu until I started reading stories on I'm serious! U

**MalikFan03**: Yes…Bakura is a NASTY little bugger in this fic, but don't worry. Tea'll give him what he deserves later on. grins evilly But that doesn't mean that I don't love him! Cause I do…just not as much as Malik! I think you'd have to agree with me on that one since your name isn't BakuraFan03! XD

**Pink and White Snow**: Now why do you think that I'd go and do a silly thing like that? Don't you worry…I'm not having her tell until the time is right, and it ain't now. That I can assure you.

**BlackBelt**: (--) Smooth Malik…real smooth. Hey, at least it wasn't YOU who was slammed into the wall this time! In any case, ya still got my suit! hears loud crash in the back round Ooo…hey, ya might want to lend it to the poor guy once in a while…it sounded like that _really_ hurt! U

**CRAZYKAZEGRL**: Oh, if ya wanna join Anzu's Angels, just either review one of Princess Hallie's fics, or email her saying that you want to join. She'd be more than happy to let ya!

**Princess Hallie**: Oh no…you missed it…again. sigh My heart goes out to you…howz about we try for 150 this time, huh? I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT, I JUST KNOW YOU CAN! XD

**TeaFan123**: I thought what you had said in your review for chapter 8 was EXACTLY how I felt when I wrote it! You said that you felt bad for Yami cause Tea had rejected him, but when you thought of Malik, you no longer cared…I LOVE THAT LINE! It's so funny AND so true! Yami always gets the girl! Time for a change!

THANKS TO THE REST OF YOU TOO! I really appreciate it! -

Disclaimer: I, Liz Inc, am **not** proud to say that I do not own Yugioh. Why the hell _should_ I be?

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 10**: The Inevitable Truth

"Uh, Tea? Ya in dere?"

The young brunette didn't respond. She only gripped the steering wheel tighter and grinded her teeth harder and faster than before. Not only did she have to deal with that deranged spirit, but she also had to face Malik after enduring six years of separation. _Wonderful_.

Joey sighed and leaned his forearms against the edge of the door, lowering his head so that he could see within the car. "Tea, I'm gonna start ta sing if ya don't get you're friggin' ass outta dere, and everyone knows what a painful experience _dat_ can be." No response. He smirked. "Tea, I'm serious…I'm _really_ gonna start ta sing, and it's gonna be one of dem high-pitched girly-girl songs too." His smirk grew wider when she still didn't respond.

"He will die if he starts to sing," Bakura mumbled under his breath.

Malik glared down at him for a second, and then returned his eyes to the car. What the hell could she possibly be doing? Did she even know that he was there? Was that why she wouldn't exit the car? He bit his lower lip…the anticipation was _killing_ him.

"Ok, here I go," Joey began. He noisily cleared his throat, pounding on his chest a few times. "Wait one sec…gotta get all da excess beef jerky down da ol' hatch."

"Must…not…kill…incompetent fool…" the white-haired spirit hissed through clenched teeth. "Must…restrain self…"

Tea quickly shook her head and took in a deep breath, probably her first one in the past five minutes. Her heart was beating rapidly and her body was shaking. Woah…she didn't think that she would _ever_ be able to exit that horrid state of shock. She relaxed her jaw and released her hands from the wheel. They were red and felt very stiff.

'Oh my Ra, what am I going to do? I can't go out there…can I?' she thought nervously. Malik was here…just a few feet away. The moment she had been waiting for years to arrive was finally here, and yet she began to wish that it hadn't. She was mortified. What would he think of her? Did he even _care_ anymore? More importantly, how much longer did he have before the spirit would take over again? Wait…was that even him? Maybe the evil within him had already taken over…maybe Malik was already _gone_. Tea angrily shook her head. No, that couldn't be…she wouldn't _let_ it be…dammit! She was unable to answer any of the questions she had swarming inside her head. How frustrating…

She let out a long sigh and leaned back in her seat. 'This is the story of my life…things wouldn't be so complicated if it wasn't.' All of a sudden, Joey took in a deep breath, causing her to snap back into reality. She turned her head to face him. He was moving his mouth, framing the first letter of the word he was about to start to…_sing_.

Oh shit.

"Don't you _dare_!" she cried, reaching over and pushing his body away from the car, causing him to lose his balance and fall flat on his butt.

"Ow! Shit, Tea! What didya do dat for!" he cried, rubbing his sore bottom. "Damn, dat really hurt!"

"Thank you Ra, for having mercy on me during this life-threatening situation…" Bakura mumbled in prayer. Malik rolled his eyes. "I, in turn, promise not to _threaten_ to kill anyone for the next few hours or so…"

"Would you shut up?" the blonde Egyptian growled under his breath.

The tomb robber shot him a nasty glare. "_Make_ me."

"Shut your friggin' trap, Joey! I am sick of listening to the sound of your stupid voice!" Tea shrieked, shoving her car door open and stepping outside, apparently forgetting about the fact that she was totally freaked.

"Hey! Watch what ya say about my accent, woman!" Joey snapped back, jumping up from the ground.

Tea slowly shook her head as she walked around the back of the car, and onto the side that he was standing on. "I wasn't making fun of your accent, Joey. I'm just sick of listening to you is all." All of a sudden, it hit her. Here she was…out in the open…

She tenderly wrapped her arms around herself and took in a deep breath, averting her eyes toward the ground. She didn't dare look over at Malik…she could feel his piercing, violet gaze watching her intently. The last thing she wanted to do was make eye contact with him…she might not be able to look away.

'Ra… ' Malik thought wide-eyed. Since when had…_this_ happened? Sure, he had always thought that she was pretty, but that was when they were younger. Now she was…_hot_.

'Checkin' out your woman, Malik?' Bakura mentally asked him, an evil smirk plastered on his face. Malik ignored him, which only caused the ancient spirit to let out a dark laugh. 'I'll take that as a _yes_.'

"Joey, I've had a rough day…please, would you just-"

"It's 1:00, Tea! I highly doubt you've been up for more den an hour or so, being dat you're usual wake-up time is around noon!" Joey cried, throwing his arms up in the air.

"A LOT can happen in an hour!" Tea spat, glaring daggers at the dirty blonde. "So lay the hell off!"

"Like _what_? Primpin' and preenin' don't count!"

"_Excuse_ me? Is this how you treat a friend who came rushing to you're friggin' aid?" Her brow angrily furrowed. Frick. She _really_ didn't have time for this right now. Why did he always have to get like this? "For _your_ _information_, not that it is ANY of you're business, I went and won the rest of my locator cards and then headed over to the museum so that I could check something out. Now, here I am. OK? And you _know_ that I find primping and preening to be a _complete_ waste of time, so don't even _start_ that shit with me!"

Joey growled and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Fine…geeze." He looked away.

Malik smirked. She may have grown a bit since he had last seen her, but she still had that same ol' fiery attitude…wait a minute. Did she say that she had headed over to the museum? Didn't his foolish sister work there? Was it possible that Ishizu had already told her about everything, including the - no. His smirk slowly faded and was replaced with a scowl. She could _never_ discover that he had an ancient beast living inside of him. It was for her own…_protection_.

Tea sighed as she lifted a hand to her face and began to gently rub her aching temples. Her head was pounding again. Great. She took in a deep breath and then proceeded to head over in Bakura and Malik's direction. She _did not_ want to look up at the exotic Egyptian, so instead, she focused her eyes on the sickly albino.

"Hey, don't dink dat you're off da hook, young lady!" Joey cried after her. "I've got my eye on ya!"

Tea snarled and rolled her eyes. She then quickly and furtively glanced down at her bracelet. Good. You couldn't see a thing. She had her fingers tightly wrapped around the particular diamond that was glowing. She couldn't let the spirit know that she knew…at least not yet.

Joey watched her walk away. "Dammit!" he cried, and ran after her. "Stop ignorin' me!"

Tea knelt down in front of Bakura, whom Malik had lowered to the ground, smiling sweetly. "Hey," she said softly. "You gonna be ok?"

Bakura slowly opened his tired eyes and smiled. "I think I'll manage." His smile faded as he thought for a moment. Why was she being so nice to him? She'd usually be verbally or physically attacking him by now! Surely she knew! He looked down at her bracelet. It didn't seem to be glowing. Maybe it was broken…

'Or maybe she's nervous about being in Malik's presence,' he thought, mentally smirking. 'So the two _do _secretly know one another...interesting.' Just then, something caught his eye. 'What the…?' Her right hand was curled up in a ball, and it looked like it was…_glowing_. Was she purposely covering it up? Why? Nothing had ever stopped her from giving him away before! 'Hmmm…if this is the effect that Malik has on her, then it seems like I have my work cut out for me…heh, heh. As if things couldn't get anymore perfect!' He smiled wanly. "Yes…I think I'll be alright. I'm just very tired."

"Ok then," Tea replied, gently touching him on the shoulder with her free hand. "How about we get you into the car now, huh?" She slowly stood up, reluctantly allowing her eyes wander over to the Egyptian's body. She just couldn't help - wow. He wasn't the same scrawny little boy he once was…that was for sure.

Yet, her curiosity ended up getting the best of her, thus leading to a small problem. She let her eyes wander too high…her blue one's met his violet ones, causing a small, inaudible gasp to escape her lips. She quickly looked away, coughing a couple of times in case he had heard her squeak. His eyes…_woah_. She brought a hand to her chest. Not only was her heart beating rapidly, but her whole entire _body_ was pounding. What a feeling…

'Ok, rule number one…' she thought breathlessly. "Stay _away_ from his eyes!' Damn, she _knew_ she shouldn't have looked.

Only after she turned her back to him did she ask, "Hey, uh, Namu? Could you please put him in the car? Joey can help you." As she walked back, she scrunched up her nose and mouthed, "Namu?" What the hell was he thinking when he chose that name? Wasn't that what she used to call her old stuffed bunny?

Malik didn't respond to her sudden inquiry. He was too shocked to do so. Not only had she called him by his fake name, but she showed no sign of remembrance what so ever. Maybe she didn't - nah. That couldn't be it. That look that she had in her eyes just then…she _must've_ known. Ishizu probably told her about everything: the god cards, his evil plot, the spirit…no. This was _not_ good. If she knew that he had a…_thing_ living inside of him, she might go ahead and do something irrational. Like try and stop it…anger it…put herself in danger. No. He _forbade_ it.

But then, why was she going along with his plan? Wouldn't it make sense to try and, oh he didn't know…_stop_ him? He brought a hand up to his face, and gently rubbed his tired eyes. None of this made any sense. Just then, he heard Bakura groan. He removed his hand from his face and looked down at the sick boy. Joey was slowly lifting his body off the ground.

"Hey, ya mind helpin' me out here?"

Malik quickly nodded. "Oh, uh, sure." He reached down and gently grabbed Bakura's free arm and wrapped it around his shoulders.

Tea waited patiently at the back of her car as the two boys carefully laid the tomb robber down in the front seat. She didn't want to risk catching Malik's eye again, so she kept her eyes down. Yes, down was _safe_.

Once they had him safely buckled in, Joey turned to Tea and said, "Look, I'm sorry, ok?" He held out his arms. "Howz about a little hug for a supa sorry best friend, huh? Please?" He then gave her the most irresistible puppy dog eyes she had ever seen.

Tea moaned, shielding her face with her hands. "Aw, not that! Anything but that!" Nope…it was too late. She sighed and walked into his arms, returning his hug. "Eh, I guess I can forgive you."

Malik clenched his teeth and snarled. Best friend, huh? This _fool_? He crossed his arms and looked away. At least he wasn't the _Pharaoh_.

'Have all the fun you want now, but the second she leaves, its lights out for you.' He smirked. Heck, why should he care about who she was friends with now? They were friends in the _past_…this was the present. It was time to forget about all the shit that had happened before…time to move on. Who cares what she did now? He sighed and closed his eyes. _He_ did…_he_ cared. Who the hell was he trying to kid? Himself? Cause if that was the case, he was sure doing a _crappy_ job of it.

"Hey, Tea? Are ya sure dat you're ok? Cause it feels like you're shakin'," Joey asked, looking down at the top of her head.

Tea quickly released him. Was she sure that she was ok? Oh yeah…she was fine. She was only standing three feet away from the boy she had been missing for the past six long years…it's not like he was the president or something.

"I'm fine Joey. I'm just a little hungry." She smirked and crossed her fingers, hoping that the mere mention of food would erase his mind of anything and everything he could possible be thinking about at that particular moment. And guess what? She was right!

"Hey yeah! I'M STARVED! Uh, why don't ya take Bakura ta da hospital and den we can meet somewhere and go out for lunch or somethin'. What do ya say?" He turned towards Namu. "Hey buddy, ya can come too if ya like."

Before Malik could reply, Tea spoke up. "Ooo…that sounds _really_ tempting, but I think that I'll have to pass. I'd rather keep Bakura company…the poor guy's a wreck." She looked over at him and frowned. "I mean just _look_ at him."

'DAMMIT RA, Why?' Bakura thought bitterly. 'Stupid wench.'

"Oh, um, ya sure? Hey, den at least let me bring ya somethin' ta eat…hospital food really sucks."

"I'll be fine, Joey. Go and have fun," Tea replied, walking back to the driver's side of the car and getting into the front seat.

Joey followed her and stood next to her side window. "Are ya really, _really_ sure dat ya don't want anythin'? Cause I can-"

"Yes…I'm sure."

Joey sighed. "Ya ain't still mad at me, are ya?"

"No, Joey. You know that your irresistible 'puppy dog pout' works _every_ time."

He laughed. "Ok den…see ya later Tea. Don't be late comin' ta da finals tanight, k? I don't want all dose duels dat ya won ta be for nutin'."

Tea smirked. "Are you implying that you have a definite spot in the finals?"

He smirked and crossed his arms. "Yeah…and ya know why?"

She sighed. "Oh, I don't know…why ever could that be?" An evil grin formed on his face, making her wish that she hadn't asked. However, it was too late…she knew _exactly_ what was coming. She squealed and threw her hands over her ears.

"That's because…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out four, transparent cards. "…I ALREADY WON DA REST OF MY LOCATOR CARDS! I DID IT! Heh, heh, if only Kaiba could see me now…wait a minute. HE CAN!"

He quickly ran out into the middle of the street, waving his cards in the air, and roared, "**YA HEAR DAT YA MOTHER FUNKIN' LOAD UH MONEY BAGS! I WON ALL 10 DUELS! YA DIDN'T DINK DAT I COULD DO IT, NOW DID YA? DAT'S WHY YA WOULDN'T LET ME ENTUH DIS TOURNAMENT, RIGHT! WELL GUESS WHAT? I BEAT YA AT YOUR OWN FRIGGIN' GAME, KAIBA! I DID! AND I'M COMIN' FOR YA NEXT, YA HEAR? YEAH, DAT'S RIGHT! YOU'RE _NEXT_!**" He then proceeded to perform a little victory dance around her car while shouting the words, "Joey Wheeler is da MAN!"

Malik rolled his eyes. 'Fool…'

Tea laughed nervously. "Hey, Joey…that's uh…really great. Yeah. I'm gonna go now, k? _Far_ away to be precise…yeah, so um, bye now!"

"-IS DA MAN! JOEY WHEELER IS DA - huh?" He froze in mid-dance. "Oh, ok. Bu-bye den…have fun eatin' dat crappy hospital food!" He rushed back over to her window and smirked.

As she started the car, she took one last glance at Malik through her front-view mirror. He wasn't looking at her, but at Joey, and was scowling. She sighed. His little performance had been a little much, hadn't it? Wait, no…correction: it _was_ a little bit much…WAY too much. She sighed again, forcing herself to look away from platinum blonde. For some reason, she found it _hard_.

She turned to Joey. "Would you _please_ behave yourself while I'm gone? Mai, Serenity, and I cannot always be around to baby sit you." She then stuck her hand out the window, waved, and cried, "Later Namu! Thanks for all your help!" and drove off before either could respond.

Joey growled and ran after her car. "WHAT DA HELL IS DAT SUPPOSED TA MEAN? I DON'T NEED TA BE BABY SA- (cough, cough) SAT! NO WA- (cough, cough) WAY! AND MAI! WHAT'S SH- (cough, cough) she…" He slowed to a stop, coughing and panting heavily. "Shit…lost my – (cough) voice…"

Malik shook his head. Never in his entire life had he encountered someone who was such a…hell, he couldn't even think of a _word_ to describe how stupid that boy was. Oh well.

Once he had caught his breath, Joey walked over to Malik and said, "Damn dat girl really pisses me off sometimes. Den again, she is pretty damn awesome, ain't she?"

Malik nodded, a fake grin plastered on his face.

Joey nodded too. "Ya wanna go and grab a bite? I'll pay…its da least I can do for all your help."

Malik shrugged his shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets. "If you want to. What I'd really appreciate though is if you could give me a couple of pointers…ya know for dueling. I'm afraid that I kinda…well…suck." He let out a small laugh.

Joey grinned. "Aw, well, ya found da perfect guy for da job! Joey Wheeler is da dueling _king_! Or…I mean, he's da king's _best friend_…yeah." He smiled sheepishly. "I'm afraid dat's da closest dat I'm ever gonna get ta da title of 'king.'"

Malik smirked. 'Stupid fool…' He could see his men approaching the blonde from behind and could only assume that they were doing the same to him. 'Right on time.'

Joey was about to say something else when he noticed a couple of men sneaking up on the unsuspecting boy in front of him. "Uh, Namu…dere's some guys - hey look out!"

Malik quickly put on a worried face as he felt someone grab his arm.

"Namu!" Joey cried, but before he could do anything, he felt someone grab him by the shoulder.

He whirled around to face three, tall men holding bats…_metal_ bats. He growled. Who the hell were these guys? And what did they want with him? He gasped. Maybe they had been sent by that mind-controlling freak Yami had dueled earlier. Well if that was the case, he couldn't let them get a hold of him. Damn, it was a good thing that Tea had already left…

Joey put on a huge smirk and held up his fists. "Heh, you guys won't take me dat easily! Put 'em up!"

"No, Joey! Don't! Look out!"

Before the blonde could move or respond, he felt something-hard smash into the back of his head and a _huge_ rush of pain…

And everything went black.

**xxXxxXxx**

At least an hour had passed…a long, boring hour to be exact. Tea slouched lower in her chair as she looked over at the sleeping boy beside her. What, did he think that snoozing was gonna protect him from her ever-growing rage and fury? She thought not! But there was really nothing she could do at that point other than keep an eye on him because the doctors were watching him very closely. They seemed to be convinced that he was in some sort of a mild coma.

She yawned and shifted her body so that she could look out the window. Sleeping seemed inevitable…she was so tired. The funny thing was that she had only been awake for a few hours or so. She had woken up at what, noon? Yeah. That seemed right. She couldn't really even remember anymore. So much had happened in such a short amount of time.

She sighed and turned her head to face the spirit once again. Damn, this was boring…why not start a random conversation? A conversation that will most likely be one-sided, but it would still be one nonetheless. It would allow her to clear her head…get her mind off of the many burdens that clouded her head…especially Malik. She couldn't seem to get his _startlingly_ striking image out of her mind.

"Hey there, tomb robber," she whispered softly. "You know, sleeping isn't going to save you from my evil wrath…_nothing_ can and _nothing_ will." She laughed. "But as long as we're here, why don't we have a little chat…queen to thief." She smirked. Oh how she was going to love this.

'WTF is that supposed to mean? I don't want to hear that woman talk! I WANT TO SLEEP! CAN'T SHE SEE THAT? Bakura thought miserably. 'Ra dammit! I swear I'll ring that blasted little neck of hers the _second_ I get the chance!'

She sighed and continued. "I just wanted to know…why do you desire to have so much power? What do you plan to gain from all of it? Wealth? Recognition? Love - eh, I highly doubt that…Freedom? Hope? Come on…there's gotta be _some_ reason why you want it!"

Bakura suppressed a laugh. 'Stupid, pathetic woman…why I want it…WHY DO YOU CARE? Power is power! You can do _anything_ with it!' He cracked open one eye to see if she was looking at him. She wasn't. She was gazing thoughtfully out the window. He smirked. She thought she had him cornered…oh no. It was the exact opposite because, unbeknownst to her…

He knew her little _secret_.

"If I could guess…" she began after a long pause, bringing her tugging wrist up to her mouth to conceal a yawn. "I would have to say that its 'cause you want to rule the world, right?"

'What the…? Who gives a damn about the friggin' world! I just want the blasted items! I WANT THE POWER!' Bakura mentally screamed. 'Bitch…why won't you LEAVE? He tightened his grip on the sheets beneath him and clenched his teeth. She was _really_ starting to get to him, and that was probably _exactly_ what she wanted. Stupid wench…

"But why? Wait a sec…let's just pretend something for a moment. Say you're able to obtain all 8 millennium items, absorb an immense amount of power, and take over the world…then what? Lounge on a majestic throne all day as countless servants, maids, and butlers dash back and fourth between you and the kitchen in the hopes of satisfying your every whim? Become immortal - no wait. You already ARE immortal! Then maybe you want to be super strong? Nah, that's just stupid!" Tea paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. Her eyes were beginning to droop. She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to stay awake.

"I just don't get you…all evil people for that matter. All they want is power, but I have a feeling that none of them truly know what they want to do with it. Besides, what is the point of living if you have nothing to look forward to? Gain? Learn? With so much power, life would just become worthless…pointless…meaningless."

Bakura, for once, had no nasty comeback, rebuttal, retort – _nothing_. A low growl emitted from his throat. 'That baka onna…who does she think she is? She wouldn't know absolute power even if it were handed to her on a silver platter! So who is she to say that it has no meaning? POWER…IS…**EVERYTHING**!' He had become so enraged, that he bolted upright in bed, panting heavily.

He quickly looked over at the girl to see what she would do now that he was awake and grinned at what he saw. She was _sleeping_. "Foolish girl." He laughed softly. "Looks like you-" He was cut off as mechanical music filled the air, causing the girl to stir. 'SHIT!' He quickly lay back down, trying to make it look like he hadn't moved at all.

Tea mumbled some inaudible words as she sat up in her chair. "What the - OH!" Her eyes snapped open as she reached down and grabbed her backpack from off the floor, ferociously digging through it for her what she assumed was her phone.

She quickly put it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hi, hon," a feminine voice whispered on the other line.

"Mai?"

"Uh-huh."

Ok, something obviously wasn't right. Her voice was shaky and distant…not normal for a cheerful girl like herself. Tea slowly stood up, walked over to the window, and leaned her forehead against the cool glass in an effort to wake up. "Mai, is everything ok?"

"No, Tea…" she responded in a soft whisper. "Everything is not ok…_definitely_ not ok."

Tea bit her lower lip and pushed herself off the casement. Now the girl was beginning to scare her. "What's wrong? What happened?" No response. "Mai? Can you hear me?" Still no answer. "Answer me dammit!"

Soft sobs followed her silence and grew louder with each passing second. Why was she crying? What the hell was wrong? "Mai, please. Answer me…ANSWER M-"

"JOEY!" she cried.

"W-what?"

"Joey…its Joey, Tea! He's not himself! Someone's…someone's…OH GOD, JOEY!"

Tea froze. Joey. She had left him back with…oh no. "Where are you now? What's going on? What's wrong with Joey?" Mai didn't respond. She was crying much too hard to do so. Tea pounded her fist on the window. This was going nowhere fast.

"Gimme the damn phone," she heard gruff a voice say. "Just give it - Tea? You still there?"

Tea swallowed hard and managed to choke out, "Tristin?

"Yeah…I can explain. We're here on the docks…all of us, and we're watching a duel."

"What the-" Tea cut herself off as a horrifying thought entered her mind. Malik…he must have been controlling someone…

Someone like _Joey_.

"It's pretty bad, Tea. There's this evil dude that can control people's minds and he's gotten a hold of Joey's…a strong hold, and he's forcing him to duel Yugi for his puzzle. The twist: they're attached to this huge anchor that's programmed to fall into the water in minutes. It'll drag both of them down to the bottom of the lake if someone doesn't win in time. Yet, only the winner can escape. The loser'll just…_sink_."

"Oh my Ra…" was all she managed to say. How could he? How could Malik do this to her friends? She clenched her teeth as hot tears began to trickle down her face. "W-why…why…WHY DON'T YOU HELP THEM?"

"WE CAN'T! Malik…uh, that's the name of the evil guy…"

Yeah. She knew.

"Malik has Mokuba tied to a chair that's been strategically placed underneath this huge crate that's been packed to the brim with explosives. There's a guy holding the button to release it a few feet away. If we interfere, then Mokuba gets it. Kaiba refuses to do anything, and frankly…I don't blame him. He's got his only family member's life on the line…"

"JOEY!" she heard Mai cry again.

Tristin sighed. "I…I wish that there was something that I could do…we all do, but we can't. I know it sucks. You don't know how hard this is to-" _Be-beep_!

"Tristin…?" Tea pulled the phone away from her ear and looked down at it. "Connection lost…" she whispered, reading the words displayed on the screen. She felt her phone slowly slip from her hands, but didn't bother to stop it from falling.

"Malik…" she whispered. "Why…WHY DAMMIT, WHY!" She slammed her fists into the window once more, causing the entire room to shake. "Why Malik? Why must you do this? What has happened to you? You're so…WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE THIS WAY?" She slowly sank to the floor, sobbing hysterically. "I hate you…I hate you _so_ much!" She grabbed her jacket off the chair next to her and tightly wrapped it around herself. She felt so cold…just like his heart.

Bakura looked down at her and rolled his eyes. The display she was putting on obviously meant that she was weak. Anyone who let their emotions interfere with their lives was pitiful, and that _included_ Malik. That moron probably cared more about that girl than he did about ruling the world! The power! The puzzle and those cards!

It was pathetic…just pathetic.

He listened closely. She was whispering something between sobs…

"It has you, Malik…doesn't it? It doesn't want to let go…it wants to torture you forever. How can I make it go away? How can I stop the pain? If it wasn't for that stupid spirit, you wouldn't be the way that you are today, would you? No…you wouldn't."

The tomb robber gave her a weird look. What the hell was she talking about? A spirit…was it him? No…she didn't know about their alliance. So then, what did she mean by…wait. She was saying something else. He strained his ears to listen.

"It's inside of you…its part of you…how do I get it out? Oh Ra, please help me! Tell me what to do…TELL ME HOW TO SAVE HIM!" Tears flooded her eyes and she broke down again, crying like there was no tomorrow.

'A spirit living _inside_ of him? He never mentioned that,' Bakura thought puzzled. He shrugged and closed his eyes once more. He'd have to find out more about that later.

Tea took in a deep breath in a desperate attempt to calm herself. She needed to stop doing this…she needed to be _strong_ for the boy. She couldn't help him if she was constantly crying and feeling sorry for herself. She sighed as she felt sleep begin to take hold. "I'll guess I'll just have to face it…the inevitable truth," she whispered, biting her lower lip so that she didn't start sobbing again. "Malik has changed…for the worse."

Bakura smirked. _Obviously_. How long did it take her to figure _that_ out? Now, he needed to find a way to escape. But how? The girl was…he opened his eyes again. The room was silent. He slowly sat up and looked down at her. Sure enough, she had cried herself to sleep.

"Would you look at that?" he whispered, smirking. He silently jumped out of bed. It was time to escape; win a few duels so that he could enter the tournament himself. However, he needed a disk. He scanned the room and grinned evilly when his eyes rested upon her backpack. He tiptoed across the room, wincing as his wounded arm brushed up against a hard object. It still hurt, but not so bad. It was his own fault that the deep cut was there anyway, so the LEAST he could do was put up with it like a man…

Besides, right now it didn't even matter…his top priority was to get the hell OUT.

He carefully stepped around her sleeping figure. She seemed to still be crying…tears were gently flowing down her stained cheeks. Oh well…not his problem that her sweet and innocent friend turned into a bad boy.

His eyes then rested on her glowing bracelet. Oh how he wanted to grab it right there and then, but he knew what it could do to those that touched it with the intention of taking it…not something that he really wanted to experience.

"It doesn't really matter…I'll just take it from her in the finals after I crush her in a duel," he thought aloud as he proceeded to silently open her bag and pull out the desired item. He grinned. "_Perfect_."

He then slipped on his shoes and ran over to the door, quietly opening it. He peeked around the corner to make sure that no one was coming, and luckily there wasn't. She'd most likely hear the painful cries of someone that he sent hurdling into the deepest, darkest depths of the shadow realm…

He glanced back over at the girl once more. Still sleeping like a _baby_. He laughed and dashed out the door, disappearing into the dimly lit hallway. It was time to go wreak some _havoc_…

**xxXxxXxx**

Yea I know…I stopped again. Sorry. I just have so much work to do. Anyway, this chapter was mostly about the characters' expressing some of their thoughts and feelings, as well as asking some looming questions that they had on their minds. Not too exciting. The next chapter will be better…I hope. Ok, ya'll know what to do now if ya liked it…TELL ME!

Later


	11. Lyra's Back

So sorry for the delay, but I've been kinda busy and every ounce of my free time has been spent…well…sleeping. U But spring break is here, so I was finally able to get this up.

**Choas** **Babe**: squeals YEA! I've _always_ wanted a big sister! All I have is a younger brother who is much _taller,_ _stronger, _and meaner than I am. He acts like he's the older one. It's not fair! But now I have a sister too, so I'm happy! And don't worry about those silly ol' flamers. If I do need someone's help though, I know who to call - er - I mean email! U

**TeaFan123**: Yes…computers are evil…very evil. Especially to me --U Anyhoo, I sent you a couple of one-word messages…I guess you weren't online either the time. I mean you were on, it's just that you weren't _on_ on…yea. Oh well. Guess I'll haveta try again and catch ya when you are!

**Princess Hallie**: ; It's ok! Don't panic! You WILL be able to do it eventually! Up next is the big two, zero, zero! It's the best number yet cause it's four times bigger than 50, two times bigger than 100, and…uh…types on calculator…1.333333333 times bigger than 150! Go for it!

**BlackBelt**: Oo…_47 times_? Geeze…pokes his lifeless body…I hope he's not dead. I still need him for my fic!

**Sailor Panda**: Yes, Tea/Malik fics are my favorite too, and yes, there are NOT enough of them out there! I'm so glad that you like it though…it means that I'm doing something right for once!

**Rowenna** **MacLeod**: Yup! It was her stuffed bunny's name! However, I'm not so sure that he knows that…

**Dream Girl**: Glad you liked it! Uh, hey…by some off chance, do you know where Ry is? I thought you said that she was going to be back on already! Well, wherever she is, tell her that I say hi and that I hope that she can start using her computer again soon! I want her to continue her story! The same goes for you!

Thanks to the rest of you too! You guys are the best!

Disclaimer: BITE ME.

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 11**: Lyra's Back

"Ok…I'm here. Thanks for the directions, but I must ask…what the hell is she doing here? Is she ok?" The golden-eyed woman waited for a response as she pulled her sleek, black convertible into the hospital's parking lot. "Hello? You still there?" No response. "Ishizu? Aw, COME ON!"

She threw her phone into the back seat of the car and pulled into an empty space. "I HATE IT WHEN SHE DOES THAT!" After she had turned off the ignition, she leaned back in her seat, taking in a few deep breaths in an effort to release some of her anger. This was _so_ not her day…

First, her flight from Egypt to Japan was delayed approximately 3 hours because it had been overbooked by accident. Then, after a 12 hour flight, a couple of guards wouldn't let her leave the airport because they were convinced that she was trying to smuggle in some drug that she couldn't even pronounce…why? She didn't know! Maybe they didn't like foreigners!

And then, after a two hour drive from an expensive car-rental shop (if she couldn't bring her _own_ precious black Chrysler convertible across the world with her, then she'd be _damned_ if she couldn't at least drive something _similar_), she arrived at the hotel, _only_ to find that Tea wasn't there. She ended up driving around the unfamiliar city for over _two_ hours, searching for the girl like a needle in a haystack. That is, until Ishizu was kind enough to call her up and inform her that she was at the hospital. But she hung up before she revealed the reason why…

Whatever. If Tea's life was in any serious danger, the woman would have _surely_ informed her by now.

She took in one last deep breath, ran her hands through her long, black hair, and threw open the car door. Now all she had to do was find that blasted girl. She reached into her purse, feeling around for her phone. It, obviously, wasn't there.

"Oh yeah…how could I forget." She quickly reopened the back door of the car and grabbed it. And she, being the genius that she was, had never hung it up so it was still running from the call before. She sighed, directing her breath upwards so that it blew her bangs out from in-between her thick, black eyelashes. "Smooth, Lyra. _Real_ smooth."

**xxXxxXxx**

Tea gasped as she snapped out of her deep slumber and bolted upright. For some reason, she felt like there was something she had to do, but had completely forgotten what.

She blinked a couple of times in order to adjust her eyes to the darkness that surrounded her. Where was she again? This was definitely not her room…she glanced over at the open window in front of her. Domino hospital…how could she forget?

She tried grab hold of something to help her stand, but soon discovered that that was going to be quite impossible. Her body felt like it weighed 300 pounds, her head was pounding, and she felt super dizzy. Ok, so sleeping during the day was not the smartest thing she had ever done. But hey, nobody's perfect.

_(the tune of Nami Tamaki's "Heroine" fills the air)_

"Ug…I feel like shit," she moaned softly and she brought her hands up to her face and gently rubbed her tired eyes. Her face felt very rough in certain places. It must have been because she had fallen asleep while crying and her tears had dried on her cheeks. She must have looked _lovely_.

"I should have - wait, what's that? It sounds like…phone!" She tried to disregard the fact that her body was completely dead and proceeded to frantically search left and right as she patted the ground for the sleek, silver object. It was so dark…how was she supposed see?

"Oh wait," she thought aloud as she reached into her coat pocket. She smiled sheepishly. "There it is…" She quickly flipped it open and glanced down at it, squinting in the process. The light that emanated from the small, rectangular screen was very bright - _blinding_ almost. She shrugged and put it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Tea, why must my life be so complicated?" a tired voice on the other line answered.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. _Lyra_…"_You're_ life? What about mine, huh?"

"Oh please! You live the life of a spoiled, rotten princess."

"_Excuse me_? What the hell makes you think that?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant to say _queen_."

"Ha, ha. Very funny." Tea paused for a moment before she continued. "So…what's up?

"Oh nothing…nothing. I was just calling to see if you were still alive and up for the finals tonight." In a sarcastic tone, she added, "Ya know, the one for that card game that you play?"

Tea stared blankly into the darkness. What the hell was she…oh that…THAT! "OH _SHIT_! I _COMPLETELY_ FORGOT!" she screamed, jumping up from the ground.

"No, really? Look, I'm standing outside the hospital. Ya mind coming down? I'll drive you there…wherever 'there' happens to be."

"Ra dammit! I knew this would happen!" Tea moaned as she felt around the walls for a light switch. Once she had found it, she flicked it on, squinting her sensitive, blue eyes in an effort to shield them from the bright lights that filled the room. She was still trying to blink out the pesky little dots that had clouded her vision after flipping open her goddamn phone…

She quickly scanned the area for her things, but noticed something else. The room…it was _empty_.

"Aw shit…"

"What?"

"Son-of-a-bitch…"

"What are you talking about? You aren't talking to _me_ are you?"

Tea laughed. "Not you, _him_. He's gone…escaped." She bit her lower lip in an effort to keep herself from screaming. Alas, it didn't work. "SON OF A FREAKIN' BITCH!"

Lyra rolled her eyes. It was just a _guy_. "Look, I'm sorry about your little mishap, but we sorta have to go…ya mind coming down here so we, uh, can?"

"OOOO!" Tea roared, yanking out her scrunchie, and throwing it at the bed. "WHEN I FIND THAT DIRTY BASTARD, I AM SO GONNA MOTHER FRIGGIN' MURDER HIM! SLAUGHTER HIM! SMITE HIM! **KILL HIM**! HE WILL NOT ESCAPE THIS CITY ALIVE!"

Lyra laughed nervously. "Yeah…ya know what? I'll just hang up now and wait for you to come down, ok? _Ok_." _CLICK_.

Tea took no heed to this. She was too busy glaring at the empty bed in front of her. "No…I won't let him get to me. That's _exactly_ what he wants!" She smirked. "_Two_ can _easily_ play at this game."

She took in one last deep breath to assure herself that she wasn't going to seriously haul off and murder someone, more specifically _him_, ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, walked over to her bag, and dropped her phone inside of it. She didn't seem to notice that it was open and slightly unorganized. She just threw it over her shoulder and marched out of the room, mumbling something along the lines of, "I wonder what kind of convertible she rented _this _time…"

**xxXxxXxx**

"SETO! We can't take off just yet! We're still missing three finalists, and one of them is TEA! WE CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT TEA!" Mokuba cried as he yanked on his brother's long, white coat. They were standing outside in the middle of a large stadium that was half-filled by a giant blue and white blimp: _Kaiba's_ blimp.

Seto crossed his arms and growled. "Mokuba, we're on a tight schedule. I am not responsible for those who are imprudent enough to be late or lost…it's their problem, not mine."

"BUT SETO! Tea has the last God card that you require to gain absolute power!"

Kaiba bit his lower lip. Shit. He did have a point, but did he have to broadcast it so that the entire world could hear? He glanced over at her friends. They seemed to be chatting happily amongst themselves, completely unaware of his little sibling's outburst. They seemed to be too engrossed in a story that the mutt was recalling… and he could only _guess_ whom it was about since they were all laughing and pointing at him. He growled softly. The culprit who had humiliated him yesterday had to be among their little group, and it was only a matter of time before he found out which one, cause once he did…

They were going _down_.

"So can we at least wait for _her_ to arrive?" the little boy begged.

Seto snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention back towards Mokuba. Wait a sec…was it possible that his little brother knew who this person was? Possible that he had _helped_ the perpetrator perform their dirty little task?

"Seto? Are you listening to me?"

Kaiba quickly shook his head and looked down into his brother's innocent, blue eyes. This little assumption of his may have been a little bit on the _extreme_ side. Besides, the poor kid had already been through enough as it was for one day. Interrogating him would probably just upset him even more. He reluctantly nodded his head, deciding to look into the matter later on…by _himself_. "Fine…we'll wait. But it's only because she has something that I want."

"OH, THANK YOU BIG BROTHER!" Mokuba cried, giving him a big hug. He then dashed off to where the others were standing. "HEY GUYS! GUESS WHAT?"

Kaiba glanced down at his watch. He'd give her 15 minutes…then she was out of luck. 'Three God cards are plenty. Besides, she's got the one that would completely clash with my deck. However, it would be unwise to let someone else claim it and use it against me. Oh well…once I win it, I can always _destroy _it…'

**xxXxxXxx**

"Are you sure that you have no idea where this thing is?"

"Yup."

"Really? Cause I sure as hell don't…maybe you should call someone."

"Uh-huh."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Oops - yeah."

"No you're not!"

"……"

"Dammit, Tea! Put that friggin' phone down!" Lyra cried. She quickly reached over, snatched the glowing device out the girl's hands, and threw it onto the back seat.

"HEY! Why did you do that? I had a really good game going!"

Lyra merely sighed and turned her eyes back towards the road. "Didn't the director of this tournament give you the location of this place? I mean, how else are you supposed to find it?" She gave the bitter girl a sideways glance.

Tea slid lower in her seat and leaned her forehead against the window, tightly crossing her arms. "He didn't…in order to find the friggin' place he said we had to win 10 locator cards, slide them into our duel disks, and only _then_ would we discover the location. It's supposed to display some sort of map or something…I don't really know the details."

"Well then, did you win all 10 cards?"

"Yeah."

"Did you bother to put them into your, uh, disk-thingy?"

A pause. "No."

Lyra growled and slammed her foot on the breaks, causing them both to jerk forward in their seats.

"HEY!" Tea cried, giving the woman an evil glare. "What the hell are you doing? Why did you stop?"

"Why'd I stop? Cause we don't know where the hell we're going, that's why! And you didn't bother to find out where this place is, so why should I bother wasting gas?"

"I forgot about it, ok?" Tea snapped, turning back towards the window. "And you don't have to be so freakin' nasty about everything…he's not worth it."

Lyra opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it. Instead, she said, "I'm sorry, ok? It just that…it still hurts."

Tea couldn't help but smirk. 'Silly you…' she thought. '_He_ doesn't matter anymore, cause I've got plans for you and a certain OTHER _golden-eyed_ person. It's only a matter of time now.' She then turned towards her friend and smiled. "You're forgiven."

The golden-eyed woman rolled her eyes. How thoughtful of her…"Hey, um, Tea?"

"What."

She paused for a moment. "Um, now that we have clarified that I'm gonna be fine, I was just wondering whether or not you're gonna be…are you?"

The girl gave her a suspicious glare. "Uh, yeah…why do you ask?"

Lyra bit her lower lip. "Ishizu, she…she told me about Malik." She quickly looked away from the auburn-haired girl, wishing that she hadn't said anything.

Tea didn't respond at first. She just lowered her head and closed her eyes. Great…it didn't matter how hard she tried to drop this dreaded subject…someone _always_ managed to bring it up anyway.

"Then you must know that I saw him today, except he's a lot different now and I don't just mean his appearance. That's a given…" She paused for a moment, wondering if the woman was going to start laughing at her. When she didn't, she continued. "He no longer cares about others in the kind and gentle way that he used to…now, he is actually quite fond of manipulating them and forcing them to do his…_evil_ biddings.

"He's lying to my friends, Lyra. He wants to get close enough to them so that he can eventually gain their trust and make it easier for him to take Yugi's puzzle. He won't stop at anything to get it…even if it means harming them, and that hurts me…a lot."

"He'd never harm you though…right?"

"Physically?" Tea asked. She slowly shook her head and answered her own question. "No. But mentally…emotionally, he's killing me. And it's probably because all that's left within him is a cold heart and a tortured soul." She glanced up at the speechless woman beside her and smiled. "That is why I am dueling tonight, Lyra…so that I can save him."

Lyra smiled back. She knew exactly where all of Tea's bravery and determination had come from…her mother. She had to have been the strongest woman that she had ever known, and it was a shame that the girl was unable to have gotten to know her better.

"We need music," Tea announced, breaking the silence. She reached over and turned on the car so the radio would turn back on. She grinned. One of her favorite songs was playing so she cranked up the volume.

The second she removed her hand from the dial, Lyra reached over and turned it down. "_I'm_ driving…not you." She glanced back over at her. "So, does this mean that you're ok?"

Tea shrugged. "Not really, but I'm sane and I think that's really all that matters."

Lyra laughed. She had to admit it was a start. "Alright. Sitting here isn't gonna get us anywhere, now is it? What do you say we just-" She cut herself off as she heard a soft tune begin to play along with the radio. "What's that?"

"Phone," Tea responded, rubbing her tired eyes as she reached back and grabbed it. "Hello?" **(1)**

"Where da hell are ya?"

Tea froze. Wait a minute. Was that…Joey? Did that mean that he was ok? Cause if that was the case, then she could only assume that Malik had failed…

"Yeah, its Joey and yeah, I'm fine. My head just hurts a little and I got this MASSIVE blue 'n black bruise on the back of my neck, but it's nothing serious...it's just _really_ big." Tea could have SWORN she had heard him grinning, but…that was Joey for ya. "I promise ta give ya all da details later, ok?"

Well…that answered all of _her_ nagging questions for the day. "Ha, ha…okay. As long as you're alright…where are you?"

"At da tournament."

"Oh shit. I'm late, aren't I?"

"Uh, yeah…ya are. Are ya coming?"

"Sorta…"

"Well, where are ya now?"

"Lost…"

"Didn't ya use your locator cards ta activate da map inside your disk?"

"No…"

Joey sighed. "And why not?"

"Forgot…"

Joey smacked his forehead and turned towards the others, "She claims dat she _forgot_."

"Typical," Seto mumbled under his breath.

Bakura smirked and glanced down at _his _disk. 'That stupid wench…she couldn't have activated it even if she _had_ remembered.'

"Guess I gotta give ya da directions den, huh?"

There was a short pause. "Uh…actually, I'd appreciate it if someone _else_ would give them to me, thank you." Tea laughed nervously. "_Anyone _else."

Joey growled. "HEY! I ain't _dat_ stupid! I can EASILY tell ya where we are!"

"(sigh) Ok, Joey. Go for it. Tell me where you are." He didn't answer right away. Probably cause he didn't know…no. Because he **absolutely** didn't know.

"Uh…in front of a giant blimp?"

"Huh? What do you mean by – (gasp) Do you mean to say that we're gonna get ta duel on Kaiba's blimp?"

"YUP!" Joey exclaimed. "Da same one dat he was flyin' in when some _genius_ came up with the brilliant idea ta prank-" He cut himself off as he spotted the rich CEO snarling at him out of the corner of his eye. He didn't think that now was the best time to get on the guys' nerves…that was definitely something that he was able to understand. "Uh…I mean, when he was announcin' da rules of da tournament. Yeah…dat blimp."

"SWEET!"

"Yeah, I know!"

There was another short pause. "So um, where are you again?"

"In front of da-"

"I _know _that, you ass! I need you to elaborate! I'm not a psychic that can read your brain! I need a precise _location_!"

"Ok, ok! Chill out woman! I can tell ya _exactly_ where we are!" The blonde quickly lowered the phone and covered the speaker. "Hey guys…where are we?"

"Give me that!" Mai snapped, grabbing the phone out of his hand. "Hey hun? It's Mai."

"Stupid woman…thinks she knows everything," Joey mumbled bitterly, crossing his arms.

"They act like they're like an old, married couple…don't they?" Tristin inwardly whispered to Duke, who merely nodded in return.

"We're at the old football stadium…know where that is?"

Tea smiled, happy to hear that the blonde-bombshell was back to her old self again. She half-wondered if Joey knew just how severe her tantrum had been when his mind was being controlled…"Oh yeah…I do. Thanks Mai. I should be able to get there in like ten minutes."

"Good, cause that's about all you got! Kaiba's threatening to leave without you if ya don't get your ass down here fast enough!"

"Oh please…that boy is all talk and no - eh, _some_ action…just some. But I highly doubt he'll take action in this case. Cause I have something that he wants, remember?"

She smirked. "Ya also got something that _Yami_ wants."

Malik snarled. What the hell was she blabbering about? Sure, Tea may have _had_ something that the Ra damn Pharaoh wanted, but that didn't mean that he was ever gonna _get_ it. Over his dead, decaying body…

A familiar cackle filled his ears, interrupting his thoughts. 'My Malik. It seems to me that you have become quite…_possessive_ over this girl, neh?'

He growled. 'What the _hell_ are you talking about?"

'Ha, ha, ha…why Tea, of course. You obviously want her _all_ to yourself.'

'What in Ra's name makes you think that?'

Bakura smirked and looked over at him from across the stadium. 'Oh, I don't know. But I would think that the words "over my dead, decaying body" must mean something!'

'Would you QUIT reading my Ra-damn thoughts? And no…I _don't_ want her all to myself, you stupid _fool_. I just…I just don't want that blasted Pharaoh touching her with his grubby hands!'

'Right. I'm afraid to say that you _suck_ at lying.'

'Oh, frick off! And stay the _hell_ outta my head!' Malik cried, and cut off the link.

Bakura's smirk only grew wider. He was going to have so much fun once Tea arrived…

Back on the phone, Tea growled. She wasn't entirely sure whether or not Mai knew what had happened between her and Yami the other night, but she _was_ sure that she was aware of the little crush he had on her…who didn't?

"Not _funny_, Mai!"

"Oh please, Tea! You know I'm just teasing you!"

"Look, I hate to interrupt, but have you figured out where we're going yet?" the driver asked, cutting in.

"The football stadium."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Tea, I'm from Egypt. Like I'm supposed to know where Domino's football stadium is located, let alone know what one looks like."

Tea gaped at her. "You mean you've never been to a football game?"

Lyra scoffed. "No, I go to them _all_ the time!" When the brunette didn't respond right away, she added, "That was _sarcasm_, hun."

Tea frowned, ignoring the woman's evident disdain. "Oh, you poor, deprived woman."

"Hey hun? Are you talking to someone?"

"Wha? Oh, yeah, I am. It's…" She lowered her voice to a minimum. "L-Y-R-A. She's my surprise guest."

Mai frowned, but tried to hide the disappointment in her voice. "She's back already? Wonderful…well, you'd better bring plenty of napkins hun, cause there's gonna be a whole lotta drooling goin' on around here."

Tea smirked. "Just from Joey…ya jealous?"

Mai laughed. "HA! Only in his dreams…" A frown followed her sudden bubbly outburst, but it went unseen to Tea.

YES. As much as she COMPLETELY _hated_ to admit it, she _was_ jealous of the elder woman. Sure, he would often wholly disregard her entire _existence_ whilst in the presence of the Egyptian beauty, scarcely making an effort to spare her seething, violet orbs even the slightest of glances. But it wasn't like Joey was the only man on the planet she had ever been interested in, so…

Wait, she didn't say that aloud, did she?

Oh, _feh_.

What did Lyra have that she didn't? Then again, what did she care? The raging blonde was too young for her anyway…BOTH of them for that matter.

'Oh, this should be fun…being stuck on a moving aircraft with all of those wacky friends of hers, and no real way to escape. I couldn't be more excited,' Lyra thought sarcastically. 'Yay for me.'

Tea giggled. Mai was such a horrible liar. Like that little display she put on when Joey was in danger didn't _mean_ something. "Alright, I gotta go. See ya - oh wait! Um… is Bakura there by some off chance?"

Mai glanced over at the white-haired boy. "Yes he is…he's one of the finalists."

Tea grinned evilly. That blasted yami was _so_ gonna die. "Really now? Who are the others?"

The blonde-haired girl paused for a moment. "Well, there's him, me, Joey, Yugi, Namu, you if ya get your ass down here in time, Malik…" She furtively glanced over in the tall, hooded man's direction to make sure that he hadn't heard her, and continued, "and Kaiba. We're still missing two other finalists besides you, though."

"And I assume that Serenity, Duke and Tristin are there too, right?"

"Yes, they are."

"Sounds good. Ok Mai, I gotta go. See ya in a few."

"Ok. Drive carefully, and get here soon! I wouldn't take any chances!"

"Ha, ha. aHaHRight. Bu-bye, babe."

"Bye hun." _CLICK_.

**xxXxxXxx**

Seven or eight minutes had passed and they had already arrived within a block or so from the stadium. Tea could just barely see the top of the large blimp slowly coming into view. She glanced over at the car's clock. Only a few more minutes to go, though it didn't really matter. That spoiled CEO _so_ did not have the guts to leave without her…that would mean leaving behind her goddess card as well, defeating his _entire_ purpose of throwing the tournament in the first place.

As she turned her head back towards the window, she noticed something strange. It was a lone woman walking slowly along the road, wearing a duel disk. It must have been another finalist. She watched as their car slowly passed by her. She had midnight-black hair, penetrating, blue eyes, and was wearing a familiar beige-colored robe. Woah…now wait-just-one-gosh-darn-second!

"Lyra! Stop the car! NOW!"

Alarmed, the black-haired Egyptian slammed on the brakes, frantically whipping her head in either direction. "What? What's wrong?"

Tea pointed at the robed woman through the front-view mirror. "Look! I think that's Ishizu!"

"What?" Lyra asked, turning around in her seat so that she could get a better look. Sure enough, there she was, approaching their car at a slow, but steady pace. "Now that's uncanny."

"Heh, everything that woman does is uncanny," Tea replied, opening her door. "How long did it take you to figure that out?" She stepped outside the car and rested an arm on the top of the open door, smirking as the woman walked up to her. Her face was half covered by a cloth mask, but she still knew that it was her…the Millennium Tauk that hung nimbly from her neck was a dead give-away.

She pointed to her wrist that held her disk. "Since when do you duel?"

The woman laughed. "Since before I knew you."

Tea sighed. "Figures. Well, get in. You have a lot of explaining to do…"

**xxXxxXxx**

Ok, so the tournament hasn't started yet…NEXT CHAPTER! I SWEAR! This was just another one of those chapters that was needed in order to lead into something that's bigger and better. Sorry about that! U And as I had said before, I know that I have been writing a lot of phone conversations lately, but since everyone's gonna be together in one place for a while, they won't be needed.

**Random Notes**:

**1.** That was the _last_ phone conversation for a LONG while. I promise…

Bu-bye!


	12. Caught!

Um…_sorry_?

Look, I had the go back and edit this, ok? Sue me! Just so ya all know, chapters 1 and 3-5 have been slightly altered, chapter 2 has been almost _completely_ rewritten (but not enough to change the overall plot of course), and the remainder was either put into better wording or not touched at all.

Oh, and I'm **putting the answers to my reviews at the bottom of the story **instead of here…why? Cause I thought you'd like to know a little bit about my new fic that's coming out, ok? Those of you who don't care may skip this little summary and be on your way…

**It's a Seto/Tea romance** and it's similar to this one, but only in certain aspects. The two will meet as children at an orphanage, befriend one another, and eventually get adopted and go their own separate ways. Years later they'll be reunited, except this time things'll be much different. Seto will no longer the _friendly_ boy Tea used to know, but rather the cold-hearted bastard we're aquatinted with today.

Ya might say that it's about her epic struggle to break through his callous exterior - discover why he protects himself with impenetrable barriers. But it's also about her efforts to try and restore the relationship they possessed in the past and save him from the evil world that she believes to have engulfed his soul. O.o Um…_yea_. I'd go more in depth, but I really don't want to give too much of this away. It'll come out sometime over the summer, so the wait shouldn't be too long - I may actually start it after I finish this chapter…_and_ take all my finals. It's a serious fic, _sorta_ AU, and Seto should be IC for the most part. And look out ya'll, cause Lyra's comin' back! XD

Disclaimer: sigh You obviously can't have your cake and eat it too. If that was the case, then we'd _all_ own YGO…

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 12**: Caught!

"Wait…so you mean to tell me that you were planning on helping me out all along, but never told me because you figured that I'd find out sooner or later?"

Tea turned around in her seat and glared back at her Egyptian friend, but the woman didn't seem to notice because she had her head down, eyes closed, and hands folded neatly in her lap. Was she even _listening_? Cause it looked like she was praying, or meditating, or maybe even _sleeping_! Tea's brow began to furrow as she opened her mouth to repeat her question, but found it to be quite unnecessary as a temperate smile crossed her friend's lips.

"Precisely," was all she said.

Tea rolled her eyes. As if she hadn't seen _this_ coming…

She slowly turned back around in her seat and jadedly gazed out her passenger-side window. Wait a minute…they were already at the stadium, so why were they circling the building instead of parking? Her eyes darted over to the clock. They had approximately…_two minutes_ until Kaiba initiated the take off! That is, if he had the guts to do so, but still! Like Mai had said, it'd _probably_ be best if they did not take any more unnecessary chances…

"Lyra!" she cried out suddenly. She hastily tapped her window with the joint in her first finger. "This is the building! We gotta-"

"I know that!" the driver viciously retorted. "I just can't seem to find the _entrance_ to this Ra damn place! And where the hell am I supposed to park? There's no parking allowed along these roads!" She furiously pointed to one of the many "no parking" signs that were posted along the street. "This is utterly insane! Who's the damn orchestrator of this Ra-forsaken tournament? I think I need to have a little _word_ with them."

Tea violently shook her head. "Oh no, no, no, no, no - this guy is _NOT_ someone you'd wanna interrogate! Besides, he'd cut out your tongue before you even had the chance to look him straight in the eye."

Lyra raised a brow. She had said it with such nonchalance, almost as if it were a frequently-repeated statement. "I'm guessing that little proclamation of yours was _vastly_ exaggerated."

Tea growled in frustration. "Alright, ya know what? Right now, we aren't supposed to _care_ who the friggin' director is, or whether or not I'm being a sarcastic, lying exaggerator. What we are _supposed_ to be focusing on is getting our asses in there as _soon_ as _humanely_ _possible_, ok? OKAY!"

"Well then lil' Miss Smarty Pants, would you mind telling me precisely where _THERE_ is? Cause it would help!"

"If I knew, you know I'd tell you…so WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME?"

"Be-_caaaaaause_, it was _YOUR_ responsibility to find out where this place was, and you obviously didn't cause we _STILL_ don't know where the hell WE'RE GOING!"

"Well, ex-_CUSE_ me for being so Ra-damn forgetful! I was in the middle of babysitting a cranky 5000-year-old spirit whilst undergoing some _serious_ stress related issues, ok? SUE ME!"

"MAYBE I WILL!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!"

"I'M BEING SERIOUS!"

"I BET!"

"I'm telling you Tea…DON'T MESS WITH ME!"

"I said _FINE_, ALREADY!"

"_There_," Ishizu stated firmly. The screaming immediately ceased as Lyra slammed hard on the brakes, screeching the car to an abrupt halt. Both she and Tea slowly turned around in their seats and stared back at the prophet with baffled expressions. Without opening her eyes, Ishizu slowly raised her arm and pointed towards a secreted driveway that the quarreling girls hadn't noticed before. "Where those two men are standing."

Lyra whirled back around in her seat. "What? Where the hell…? Oh my Ra, you've _got_ to be kidding me!" She roughly pressed on the gas pedal, causing the car to jerk forward. "Like anyone could actually _find_ this without a psychic in the car!" She motioned to Tea as she pulled up directly in front the narrowed entrance. "Ok, I say we just pretend that we're all _really_ sorry, skip the mushy crap, and get one with our lives, sound good? Great. Now roll down your window and ask them where I can park…"

Tea sighed and did as she was commanded, deciding that it was probably safer to just go with the flow. She reluctantly rolled down her window, stuck out her head, and called to the two men that were standing guard on either side of the entrance. "Hey, uh, we're here for the finals. Would you mind telling us where we can find some parking?"

The two exchanged careless looks and shrugged. "Eh, I guess ya can park it right heah," the man on the left said. "Ya guys da dree missin' finalists?"

"They are," Lyra pointed out. "I'm just along for the ride."

He nodded as he pulled a small walkie-talkie from his pocket and mumbled some inaudible words into it. The other man stepped up alongside the car and opened Tea's door. "If you ladies would please step outside, I'd be happy to show you to the where the others are located."

**xxXxxXxx**

"Just two? Shit…alright fine…fine." Seto slowly released the button on the collar of his coat and glanced down at his watch. Lucky for them, finalists eight and nine were on time. The _tenth_ however…

"Was that Tea? Is she here?" Mokuba cried, running over to him. "IS TEA HERE?" He clasped his hands together squealed. "That was her, wasn't it!"

"Yes, that was her. And she happens to be accompanied by the ninth finalist, but…" His voice seemed to fade off.

"But?" a deep voice questioned him.

Kaiba turned his head to face the taller version of Yugi, glaring at him for a moment before replying. "We're still short one duelist…apparently, there are fewer champions in this city than I had initially anticipated." To himself he added, 'Although it I can't say that I care very much. Everyone that possesses a God card is present…_that's_ what's imperative." He grinned inwardly as he thought about the powerful card that _he_ owned. As if that foolish woman _actually_ thought that he was going to give it back to her after the tournament…_not a chance_.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted as a vociferous Brooklyn accent filled the air. "Short a finalist? Dat means our duelin' numbas are uneven!" He quickly darted over to where the elder Kaiba was standing, shortly followed by the others.

They just _knew_ what was coming…it _never_ failed.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Thank you for stating the obvious, Wheeler, although it was quite unnecessary."

"What? Are ya tryin' ta imply sometin' here, Kaiba?" the blonde spat bitterly. "Oh wait, _I_ _get_ _it_! Ya dink I'm _stupid_, dontchya!"

Seto merely smirked. Very perceptive…for a mindless, _blabbering_ idiot that is. "Once again mutt, you have articulately stated what is already _known_."

Joey growled. That stupid name was getting old…_real_ old. God, he loses one stinkin' duel and all of a sudden he's lowered to a level where you're only fed Kibbles and Bits for lunch! Well FYI, he _wasn't_ A DOG!

Without further warning, he charged at the taller boy, screaming bloody murder. "DAMN YOU, Kaiba! Damn you, damn you, DAMN YOU! I AM **NOT** A **DOG!**"

"Woah there!" Duke cried, grabbing the enraged boy's arms from behind. "Relax, would ya?"

Joey ignored his plea and began to writhe within his grip. "LEMME AT 'EM!"

"Guys? A little help here please!" the black-haired boy moaned, glaring at the others who were watching the incident like it was some sort of weird freak show…_not_ to say that it wasn't.

"Oh yeah…I'm comin'!" Tristin called, rushing over. He motioned to Bakura. "Come on, dude!"

The white-haired thief crossed his arms and smirked. Like he was actually going to listen to likes of him…wait a minute. His amused expression grew sullen as he realized that _he_ may never listen to that moron, but _Bakura_ definitely would, and that's technically who he was supposed to be right now so…_damn_. He sighed as he reluctantly strode over to the dust cloud that had enveloped Duke and Tristin. 'It seems like _everyone's_ acting like a stupid wench today…_lucky_ me.'

Malik couldn't help but laugh…this was just _way_ too amusing.

All of a sudden, he received this eerie sensation…like someone's fiery gaze was burning a hole though his neck. He scanned the small crowd of teens, but everyone seemed to be paying close attention to the matter at hand…all _except_ the Pharaoh. His crimson gaze was locked on him like a missile on its target. He was tempted to flick him off, but decided that it would probably be better to smile and nod instead. Yami did the same, but didn't look away before giving him one last cold, hard stare. Malik scowled. What the hell did he think that he was looking at? He knew _absolutely _nothing…right?

'Of course he doesn't! Who am I kidding?' he angrily told himself. He tried to shrug off the eccentric feeling and returned his focus to the fight, hoping that their little confrontation had been nothing more than a mere _coincidence_…

"Calm down, mate! It's not worth it!" Bakura protested as he firmly held Joey's right arm behind his back.

"Yeah dude, you're working yourself up over nothing!" Tristin added as he held the other. Duke was sitting on the ground panting, not to mention aching in several places. He was _through_ trying to knock some sense into the unruly boy.

In response, the irrepressible blonde began laughing like an insane maniac. "Relax? WHY DA HELL WOULD I WANT TO _RELAX_! I'M TOTALLY PUMPED AND READY TO KICK SOME CORPORATE ASS!"

"Because **_I_** said so!" an angry voice hissed.

All three boys froze as Joey's younger sister paraded over to where they stood. She motioned for the others to release her brother and when they did, she grabbed him by the collar and yanked his head down her to level. A threatening glare formed on her face, clashing with her delicate features. "What the hell is your problem? _Why_ do you allow what that bastard says _get_ to you?"

"Cause, sis! He was mockin'-"

"LAME EXCUSE, JOEY!" Her brother frowned and lowered his head, making it obvious that he didn't have anything else to say. "My God, just _let_ _it go_. So he calls you a dog, big whoop! If you haven't noticed, this guy appears to be all talk and no action, so I don't know _why _you _even_ bother!"

'Bastard?' Seto thought, raising a brow. 'Who is she calling a _bastard_?' As if she had heard him say that aloud, the red-haired girl whirled around and furiously stomped over to where he stood. He smirked. She was about to bark at him, wasn't she? Those doggie genes must _definitely_ run in their family.

All was silent as the tiny girl glared up at the menacing Kaiba brother, snarling like a ferocious lion. "Why must you intimidate him like that? What has he ever done to you?"

"That's a very good question…" His voice faded off, but his mouth remained open as he cocked his head to the side and lowered his eyebrows in confusion. "Miss…?"

"It's _Serenity_," she spat viciously. "Now answer my _question_ or suffer my _wrath._"

Kaiba stared at her stupidly for a couple of seconds and then burst out laughing, yet it didn't resemble the evil, narcissistic laughter that he was most famous for. Believe it or not, it actually sounded like he was…_amused_. Who knew that the cold-hearted grouch was even capable of portraying any sort of emotion besides boredom, anger, and greed?

Serenity felt like screaming. Who the _hell_ did this guy _think_ he was? She narrowed her eyes, clenched her teeth, and balled her hands into tight fists, all the while emitting a formidable death-defying glare. In fact it was _so lethal_, that most were surprised that the rich president hadn't already dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Once he had regained his composure, Seto stated in his usual icy tone, "I suggest you run along now, little doggy…you _obviously_ don't know who you're dealing with."

Before the young teen could retaliate, an encouraging voice cried out, "Don't back down girl! You're doing just fine!" Everyone's heads whirled in the direction of the entrance just in time to see Tea and two other women emerge from the darkened shadows.

'_Sister…_' Malik thought bitterly as he laid eyes on the masked woman who stood silently behind the other two. 'What, has she come to steal my other God card too? Cause I _know_ she isn't here to give me _moral_ _support_…'

Seto scoffed. Doing just fine, huh? More like if that dim-witted brunette hadn't intervened when she had, this foolish "bitch" would have been a goner. Speaking of senseless brunettes, where had Tea been all this time? He hadn't seen her since that uneventful trip to the museum…

That's when it dawned on him. Tea had been _absent_ during the time of his mortification. He recalled seeing the midget, little Miss _underdressed_, the trivial mutt – heck, he even remembered seeing Point Dexter drive away on his motor cycle! But had he seen _her_ around during that little moment of complete and utter chaos? No! Not only that, but she was extremely close to Mokuba, was excellent at impersonating Joey's obtuse accent, and was often dubbed by her peers "the pranksta queen." How could he have _missed_ this? How could he have been so _stupid_? She was the most _obvious_ of all suspects! He narrowed his eyes and snarled at her approaching figure. He would've absolutely _loved_ to kick her ass out of the tournament right there and then, but that _card_ of hers…

He irately crossed his arms and sighed. Eh, he'd think of something _eventually_. If her primitive brain was capable of pulling off such an act, then he could only _imagine_ what sort of turmoil his superior intellect was proficient of bringing…

_'Tea Gardner_,' he thought irritably. 'You will PAY for that impertinent act of yours! _Mark my **words!**_' He then roughly grabbed the button on the collar of his coat and squeezed it as hard as he could. "Roland, get your ass out here now! And where the hell is Johnson? I thought I told him to wait by the fricken' door!"

"Hey guys!" Tea shouted from across the field as she waved her right arm in the air. "I'm sorry we're late! It was totally my fa-"

"_LYRA_!" Joey screamed as he pulled himself from evil clutches of his so-called friends, his anger long forgotten. His eyes filled with pretty pink hearts as he rushed over to where the Egyptian woman stood. _Her_ eyes, on the other hand, had filled with extreme horror as she struggled to stay calm.

'Oh _shit_!' was all she could think as he closed in on her. 'Why the hell did I even _come_? I _knew_ he was gonna be here!'

Tea's brow furiously furrowed, her hands balled into tight fists, and her arms grew stiff at her sides. 'BASTARD!' she mentally screamed. 'Ra, I try to apologize, and _this_ is how he thanks me? This is the second time he's done this to me today!'

Odeon slowly raised his obscured face at the mention of Lyra's name, cautiously shifting his piercing, golden eyes in her direction. 'I haven't seen that woman in at least 10 years…what is she doing here now?' He had to admit that she had definitely _changed_ since he had last seen her. He actually found her to be somewhat…_attractive_. He quickly shook his head and returned his gaze to the ground. Ok, where the hell had that come from? Maybe all those years of living underground, devising evil schemes, stealing rare playing cards, and worshipping a boy that was half his age had _finally_ gotten to his _head_…

'Stupid, stupid, stupid-' Tea was rented from her angry thoughts as she felt two, small arms encircle her waist. She grinned as she looked down upon a fountain of thick, black hair. "Hey Mokuba."

At the mention of his name, the younger Kaiba brother snapped up his head to reveal his adorable, azure eyes and wide, toothy smile. "Hi there! Ya know, I was afraid that you weren't gonna come!"

Tea laughed. "Like I'd miss a chance to kick someone's butt in a duel!" She grinned as she glanced over at the spirit of the puzzle who seemed to have been watching her intently up until now. Once he had realized that her cerulean gaze was staring back into his crimson one, though, his eyes widened and he quickly looked away. Tea's lips slowly parted into a toothy grin as she noticed a faint, pink hue cross his upper cheeks. 'I hope that means he's feeling better!'

Once Joey had finally reached his intended destination, he licked a couple of his fingers and slicked back his dirty blonde hair, grinning like mad. "Hey dere baby," he cooed as he gently wrapped his arm around the Lyra's sagging shoulders. "How _you_ doin'?"

"Fine?" she muttered. Though the expression she had on her face said otherwise…

Her insistent, golden eyes darted over towards Tea, pleading her to do something, anything! But before the brunette could respond, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder and whisper in her ear, "Let _me_ handle this one, hun."

Tea turned her head to the right just as an infuriated blonde woman passed her up from behind. _Woah_…was that _smoke_ she saw pouring out of her nose? …_And_ mouth? …**_And_** ears? She laughed nervously and took a few steps back. Should she really let her intervene? No offense to her or anything, but Mai wasn't always the best candidate to choose for these types of situations. She tended to get a little…_violent_. Then again, that self-centered moron _did_ deserve it, so why not? Besides, it looked like she was handling things _just_ fine…

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW! Dammit Mai! Leggo of my friggin' ear! OOOW - MAI! **DAT HURTS, DAMMIT**! LEMME GO!"

"Not until you learn some manners, ya big ape!"

"Hey, I've already got my sista tellin' me what and what not ta do…I don't need ya ridin' my ass too, alri- **_OW_**! _SHIET_ DAT HURT!"

"THEN _WATCH_ WHAT YOU _SAY _TO ME, YOU _LOUSY_ ASSHOLE, OR ELSE IT _MIGHT_ HAPPEN **_AGAIN_**!"

"Oooo…wouldn't want to be him," Tristin remarked, cringing as he watched Mai violently peel Joey's face off of one of the goal posts. Although it did give him a sudden urge to shout, "TOUCHDOWN!" but he figured that now probably wasn't the best time for jokes.

Duke slowly nodded in agreement as he anxiously fingered the die hanging from his ear, his green eyes wide as saucers. "Ya got that right…when will he ever learn?"

"I'm afraid _never_," a morose voice replied. Both boys turned their heads to face the victims' younger sister who appeared to be frowning, fuming, and blushing all at the same time. "_Stupid_ idiot."

As Malik watched the two blondes fight, he tried his hardest not to laugh. The last thing he wanted was for that damn porcupine to start glaring at him again with that accusing look. He briefly glanced over at the cranky spirit. He appeared to be rather bored, and frankly, he didn't blame him. When the hell were they gonna board that damn ship? He had been ready to duel for the past _two_-_fricking_ days!

His lavender gaze then meandered over towards Seto. He seemed to be giving an oblivious Tea some sort of an _evil_ death glare as he barked orders to two suited men that were cowering in front of him. What the hell did he think _he_ was looking at? Malik angrily narrowed his eyes as he slid his hand into his partially unzipped bag, eagerly fingering a smooth, golden object that lay within it. _One_ _move_…just _one,_ and that guy was as good as _dead_.

Lyra slowly stepped up beside the auburn haired girl and sighed. "If only I had the courage to do that sort of thing to my ex."

Tea laughed. "Yeah, I would've _definitely_ liked to have seen that."

Lyra rolled her eyes. _Not_ quite the answer she had been looking for… "Anyway, so which of these guys is the head honcho of this thing? I'd still like to have a word with them."

"What? Oh, that would be the tall, dark, and _menacing_ one over there…Seto Kaiba."

"You mean the one that's giving you that _extremely_ evil look?"

"Huh?" Tea's head shot over in his direction, and sure enough, the CEO's icy glare was locked on her like a vicious animal on its prey. Ok…why was he staring at her like that? He hadn't figured it out…had he? Dammit! "Uh-oh…"

Lyra raised a brow. "Okaaay, I guess I'll take that as a _yes_."

Tea slowly looked back down at the tiny boy who was still attached to her hip. Mokuba hadn't said anything to his brother…had he? No…he wouldn't do that to her. That clever bastard must have figured it out himself. "Hey, uh…Mokuba?"

The boy arched his neck and rested his chin on her stomach, gazing up at her expectantly. "Huh?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Um, sure! What's the - oh wait! I almost forgot…Yugi wanted me to give this to you!" He quickly retracted his arms and hastily rummaged through his pockets, his stern features enhancing as he pulled something out. "Ah-ha! Here it is!" He gently placed a small piece of paper in her hands. "He said read it as soon as possible…ok, now what is it you were gonna ask me?"

"Um…" Tea began as she stared at the folded note in her hands. This was from Yugi? Or maybe it was Yami…Mokuba didn't know the difference.

"Tea?"

"Wha?" She quickly shook her head as the mini Kaiba began waving his hand in front of her face.

"Did you forget what you were gonna say? I hate it when that happens…"

She sighed wistfully. "No…I remember." She paused for a moment as she slid the small square into her back pocket. She'd have to read it later… "Ok, without bluntly looking, would you mind telling me why your brother is glaring at me like that? He doesn't _know_, does he?"

Mokuba cautiously shifted his eyes in Seto's direction. "Um…I dunno. But I can assure you that _I_ didn't tell him!" His expression grew worrisome. "I promise you!"

Tea nodded, inwardly stealing a glance of the angered boy herself. "It's ok…I believe you. The only problem is that if he assumes it's me, I'm most likely gonna be in some _big_ trouble…I could even get _disqualified_."

Mokuba vigorously shook his head. "No you won't! I…I'll stand up for you!"

Tea gasped. "Oh no, no, no! Then he'd most _definitely_ know it was me and through your actions discover that you were in on it too!"

He frowned and slowly lowered his head. "Oh yeah…guess that wouldn't be too smart, huh?"

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Kaiba's cold voice rang throughout the air, interrupting everyone's conversations. Once it was silent, he continued. "I would appreciate it if everyone would take out all of the locator cards they've acquired over the past two days and present them to the man standing at the entrance of the aircraft. From there you will be given another glass card with a number on it. This will be the key to your _room_. I _highly_ suggest that you keep in a safe place, otherwise I'm afraid you'll be sleeping _outside_ tonight. I _didn't_ make any copies." In a weary voice he added, "And please hurry it up…we're running late as it is."

Bakura smirked as he watched Tea drop her bag to the ground, get down on her knees, and frantically rummage through it. 'This ought to be fun to watch…'

'_What_ ought to be fun?' and angry voice hissed in his ear. 'What did you do _this_ time?'

The spirit's smirk grew wider. 'Oh nothing, Malik…I just had a little fun with the girl is all.' He slowly turned his head to face the fuming Egyptian who was standing a few people ahead of him in the line that had formed at the base of the blimp.

_'Damn_ you…I swear I'm gonna kick your ass when I find the chance!'

Bakura pouted. 'But you don't even know what I did!'

Before Malik could respond, he had reached the front of the line and was asked to present his cards. 'We'll discuss this later, _tomb robber_…so don't think you're off the hook!'

The thief continued to smirk as he thought to himself, 'Whatever you say, _lover_ _boy_…whatever you say.'

"What the hell!" Tea screeched. "I've got all my locator cards, I've got my deck, but I don't seem to have my disk! Where the frick could it be? I haven't touched anything in my bag since this _morning_!"

"Maybe you left it at the hospital," Mokuba suggested, resting his hands on his knees so he could get a better look at what was inside her bag.

She irately shook her head. "No, no, no…I never took anything out while I was at the…wait a minute!" She snapped up her head and focused her angry eyes on the pale albino who was waiting patiently at the back of the line. He seemed to have a duel disk on his left arm…how did he manage to steal one so quickly _and_ acquire enough locator cards to enter? There was just _no_ way…

"It's yours…" a soft voice replied from behind.

Tea growled. "I _know_, Ishizu…I _know._"

"Know what?" Lyra asked as she bent down to help the brunette collect her scattered things.

Tea shook her head as she shoved a few more things inside her bag and zipped it up. "It's nothing you gotta worry about…look, uh Mokuba? Would you mind escorting these two ladies aboard for me? I'll follow in a few minutes…"

He smiled. "Sure! Come on girls!" He then bolted off in the direction of the blimp, waving an arm behind him.

"Um, Tea? Are you sure that you-"

"Yes Lyra."

The raven-haired woman reluctantly nodded and sighed, motioning towards Ishizu with a wave of her arm.

Once the two women were a safe distance away, Tea slowly rose from the ground, cupped a hand over her mouth, and shouted, "Hey, BAKURA!"

The white haired boy carelessly glanced around for a moment before laying his reddish-brown eyes on the waving brunette. 'What the hell could she - _oh_.'

"Come're!"

The thief sighed. 'Guess I should have given her more credit…'

"Hey, Bakura! You here for the finals too?" The yami slowly looked down to see a tiny, black-haired boy beaming up at him. What was this kid's name again? He looked awfully familiar…eh, it didn't matter. It was time to see what the hell that little witch wanted. He could already _feel_ her bracelet's menacing energy trying to reel him into her evil grasp.

"Hello there, and yes…I am here for the finals." He kindly stepped aside, allowing the boy and the two ladies to surpass him in line. "Go ahead of me…I'm not ready to board just yet."

The women nodded in thanks while the boy replied, "Ok, then…see ya later!"

Bakura nodded benevolently before proceeded to head over towards where Tea was waiting for him in the center of the field, his kind smile twisting into an evil smirk. 'She may _think_ she has me cornered, but really, it's quite the _opposite_.'

'He thinks he's so high and mighty…just wait until I'm finished with him!' Tea thought crossly as he neared. Once the boy had finally reached her, she reached out and grabbed him by the collar, yanking his head down to her level. "Ok, I've already decided that we're going to skip the 'pretend' crap… I _know_ it's _you_ and I'm PISSED as _hell_._"_

The albino merely laughed. "Why, it's so nice to see you again too, Tea! Now, if you favor your life, I _highly_ suggest you unhand me this _very_ second…I don't _like_ to be touched."

Before the infuriated girl could respond, one of Kaiba's men called out, "Hey, you two! Are you planning on-"

"NOT NOW!" Tea screeched, moving her head to the side a little so she could see past the spirit's tall frame.

"But Master Kaiba is in a hurry and-"

She roughly retracted her hand from the yami's neck, shoving him backwards as she roared, "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! HE CAN WAIT!"

The man refused to give up. "But Miss! He requests your presence in his office right away! He says it's urgent! Besides, we're about to take off!"

Tea frowned. Shit…he _did know._ As if this day couldn't get any worse…

"Ooo…feelin' a little feisty today, are we?"

She snapped her malicious gaze back towards the white-haired thief and snarled. "Cut the friggin' crap and gimme back my damn disk!"

He gave her a funny look. "Oh no…I think you're dreadfully mistaken. See this is my-"

"It is NOT! I know for a fact that you took it from me after you evaded the hospital…you left my fricken' bag open! How _stupid_ do you think I am?"

He grinned maliciously. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that?"

Tea's eyes blazed with a daunting fire as she raised her arm to slap him straight across the face, but he grabbed her wrist before she could strike, squeezing it _hard_. "Son of a - let me the hell _go_!"

He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and forebodingly shook his free hand in the air. "Nu-uh, uh! You do that and I may be forced to reveal your little…_secret_."

Tea lowered her eyebrows, clenched her teeth, and hissed, "What **_secret_**?"

Bakura laughed as he leaned in real close to her ear and whispered, "Why the one about Malik being your best buddy, of course…"

Tea's eyes doubled in size as she roughly pulled her arm from his grip and staggered back a couple steps. "W-what did you say?"

**xxXxxXxx**

Woah…could you imagine seeing Serenity pullin' one of those? O.o Yea, I know…she was EXTREMELY OOC here, but that's the way that I like her so she's gonna _stay_ that way! D And just to let you all know, there will **NOT** be a Seto/Serenity pairing in this story, ok? That should hopefully clear up any current misconceptions on the matter…

**Deena70**: You worship me? Lol…hey, how many people can say that, huh? That someone worships them? I don't think too many! XD Glad u like it!

**Zircon**: Two hours? Oh my…I'm guessing that you forgot my name or the title of the story and were unable search for it. Ooo. Sorry 'bout that! And I love the Fairly Odd Parents! That's like the _only_ good show on Nick! Yea, ya know I'll definitely have to consider using that quote…I like it! XD

**tea/anzu** **fan**: Thanks for adding me on alert! ) I know how annoying it can be to miss an update.

**Dreamgirl**: Yes, it _was_ under construction, but I finally finished editing it! ) Took me forever, but I did! I think I already told you that though, right? Can't really remember --U

**BlackBelt**: Ya know, it's a really good thing that your obsessed with Hiei and NOT Kurama…then we'd definitely have ourselves a little problem! XD Anyway, I'm glad that I went to your bio page to see _why_ the heck you had removed so many of your stories…I was afraid that you gonna leave the site or something! O.o BUT…you're not, so I'm ok! ) And since you deleted the story where I gave you that totally awesome go-cart, I'm willing to give ya another. hands you yet another set of keys This one is black with white and yellow flames on the sides, and sitting in the seat _this_ time is a LIFE-SIZE Hiei plushie! O.o Where the hell did I manage to find that?

**dragontamer101**: Yes, Yami will _only_ be able to get to Tea over Malik's "_dead decaying body_!" Mwahaha! And yes, we can all only assume that Bakura is gonna die…we love him, but he must, cause I'm afraid that nobody pisses off Tea Gardner and lives… D

**TeaTwin**: You like, huh? Thanks! And I like Tea/Bakura and all, but I already planned to start writing a Seto/Tea story first. Although I _do_ plan on coming out with a one shot based on the two of them eventually! )

Alright pple, you like? Then review. I'd appreciate it _ever_ so much! ) And I know it may seem like Bakura's got the upper hand here, but trust me…Tea's got a few unexpected tricks up her sleeve as well! XD

Later


	13. Kaiba said WHAT?

Holy _shiet_! I actually made it to _200_! I feel so special… _Thank you_ everyone! D

And yes, yes, I **know**…it took me for_EVER_ to update. I'm _so_ sorry! It's just that even though I _know_ what I want to say, it's so hard for me to put it into words…everything I write sounds wrong! And the same goes for my new S/T story…it's not writer's block, it's the damn wording! Ug…but I finally finished this, _despite_ my excruciating brain freezes. My other story will come out sooner or later, but for now, here is the next chapter of this one…

**The Big Cheese**: (-.-") All I have to say is that I think you need some _serious_ help, _Rebecca_. And if it wasn't for the fact that I know _exactly_ who you are too, _Rebecca_, as well as where YOU live, _REBECCA_…than I would probably be _very,_ very scared right now (O.o)…oh wait. I still am! DESPITE this…I would still like to thank you for being my 200th reviewer…THANK U! D

**Dreamgirl**: Yea I know…it _did_ take me forever to update, but it was only because I was editing! And this time I was late cause of my _semi_-writer's block! And is this strictly Malik/Tea, you ask? Well…I was planning on having a _couple_ of little extras on the side. ) But Seto/Serenity is NOT one of them! Just thought I'd make that clear…(O.o) Why, do you have any suggestions? Cause I'm open to those! Just not S/S, ok? Hehe…yea.

**Zircon**: Lol…well I'm like the opposite. I either have no free time or I do, but I'm just too damn lazy to do anything! D And OMG, are you _SERIOUS_! Direct TV is _ILLEGAL_ in Canada! _Man_ does that suck! Wait, what about comcast? Don't tell me that's illegal too! O.o Unless Canada doesn't get comcast…Eh well, at _least_ you have Cowboy Bebop…that in itself is better than having _all_ of Nickelodeon! XD

**BlackBelt**: (O.o) Ok…I'm guessing that means you liked it, right? Hehe…(O.o) And, I'm trying to make Serenity different so that you _don't_ think she should have to die! Or…do you just hate her no matter _how_ much one modifies her personality? Lol…eh well, as long as you like Tea, which I know you do, I'm perfectly happy! D

**AnimeSenko**: Yes I know…PC's SUCK! Sorry 'bout the language, but it's true! My stupid computer just caught a nasty virus, and DIED! Yes, its _DEAD_, as in it'll never _EVER_ work again! Now I'm stuck using my crappy, old laptop! Oh well…and, thank you, but your just as talented as I am! There is no need for you to feel jealous! I've read some of your stories, and lemme tell ya…they're _really_ good! (See! I didn't say that I was gonna kill you! D)

**Princess Hallie**: Yes, I _did_ finally update. It's taken me forever to get this one out too! Sorry for the delay! And, lol…yea, Joey Wheeler and Joey _Something _from friends (what's his last name! I do know that it's Italian though, right? O.o) are pretty dang similar, aren't they? D

**dragontamer101**: Yea, it does seem like she's in a _major_ sticky situation at the moment with Bakura blackmailing her and all, but don't worry…just read on and you'll see what happens to those who are foolish enough to piss off Tea Gardner! XD

Disclaimer: Eh, _shaddup_.

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chap 13**: Kaiba said WHAT?

As if things couldn't _possibly_ get any worse…

Here she was, slowly making her way towards Kaiba's secluded office to no doubt be lectured on how immoral and insidious her malicious, yet _ingenious_, little prank had been. _And_… to make this little situation surpass _all other_ crappy circumstances, she no longer possessed a duel disk, and there was no way in _hell_ that she was getting hers back…why? Because she was being _blackmailed_ by a 5000-year-old thief, _WHO_, might she add, probably had no idea what the hell blackmail even _was_…

Yeah…it appeared as if she had fallen into a lose-lose situation here. She could see it all now: Kaiba, after lecturing her on her unjust ways would most likely disqualify her and announce it to everyone in the most vindictive and conceited way possible. Then, feeling as if the moment had reached its ultimate climax, Yami Bakura would open his big mouth and reveal her little "secret," making it seem like she had entered this tournament to help Malik succeed. Then, her friends would turn their backs on her feeling terribly offended and betrayed, she would be abandoned by Lyra and Ishizu for allowing their secret information to be revealed too soon, and then the evil within Malik would emerge from his body and destroy his soul from within.

Of course, this _was_ the worst-case scenario, but still…it _could_ happen!

Before she could ponder her inevitable demise any longer, Tea was viscously rented from her thoughts as she ran headfirst into a tall, _metal_, door.

"_Ow_! …_Dammit_!"

She assumed that this was the corporate prick's office since there was a bold sign on the front of the door, written in what seemed to be a child's handwriting, that read: "This is Seto Kaiba's office. If you have _not_ already been cordially invited, then you are most likely _not_ welcome. So beware, or suffer the viscous wrath of the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" She tried to suppress a giggle, but to no avail. That _silly_ _little_ Mokuba…

'Ok…' she thought boldly as she raised her hand to knock. 'Time to get serious…'

Yet before she was able to make her presence known, the door slid open, creating a soft wind that rustled her brown locks. Her enlarged eyes blinked a couple of times in confusion. Woah…it was like one of the doors they have in those spaceships you'd always see on TV…_cool_!

"Come in, _Gardner._"

Tea snapped up her head. Ok, how did he know she was there? Oh wait…this aircraft was probably swarming with _cameras_. How could she have been so naïve? The guy had his own, personal _satellite _for crying out loud!

"_Today_ would be nice."

She laughed nervously. "Oh, uh…right." She carefully stepped inside the large, dimly lit room, the door sliding to a close behind her. Upon taking a quick look around, she noticed a tall black chair, sitting with its back to her face, at the other end of the room. After a short silence, it spun around to reveal Seto's stern visage. A small, horrified gasp escaped her parted lips, and she took a couple of careful steps back, only to collide with the door. _Ra_ did he look creepy…

The entire left side of his face was covered in shadow, his lips were pursed and dry, his hands were tightly gripping the arms of his chair - almost as if his very _life_ depended on it - and his eyes were wide and crazed…like those of a madman who had just been shoved into an asylum. A small smirk crossed his lips as he supposedly noticed the fear she held within her eyes. Surly he couldn't be _that _mad…could he? Oh wait, this was Seto _Kaiba_, CEO of Kaiba Corp we're talking about here…of _course_ he was that mad!

Tea slowly took in a deep breath and intrepidly stepped forward. There was no way in _hell_ she was going to give in to the likes of him. If it was fear he wanted, then that was _exactly_ what he _wasn't_ gonna get.

She casually nodded her head and shoved her hands into the pockets of her hooded zip-up, attempting to make small talk. "Hey there Kaiba…wassup?"

Seto's smirk slowly twisted into a viscous scowl. "Oh, I think you know _exactly_ what's up. Don't you play dumb with me you obtuse girl. I _know_ it was _you_. What sickens me the most though, is that I didn't figure it out sooner…"

Tea raised a brow. "Um…I'm a little lost. Care to elaborate?"

"Oh, **I** _see_ where this is going," he began amusedly, getting up from his chair. "I hate to break it to you, though Gardner, but your petty little attempt to try and lead me astray is fruitless; I will _not_ be swayed. So you might as well admit it now…**YOU** were the one that performed that _foolish_ practical joke on me earlier, **WEREN'T** YOU?" He extended one of his lengthy, muscular arms and pointed a long, bony finger directly at the bridge of her nose. "**YOU** were the one who humiliated me in front of all my fans: the people who look up to me, _idolize_ me! It was _you_ - ALL **YOU**!" His chest heavily heaved up and down as he paused, waiting for her to retaliate.

Well, it looked like she could cross denial, wallowing, beseeching, stupor, and negotiation off her list. All that really left was confession, _but_…that didn't mean she had to do it the old fashioned way…

Tea's confused expression slowly curved into a sly, but mischievous grin. "Oooooh…._that_. Well, why didn't ya say so? Yeah, it was me. And ya know what? It _is_ pretty damn sad that you weren't able to figure it out sooner. I mean, I don't think I could have been any more obvious…"

Kaiba's arm slowly fell back down to his side, and, without blinking, swallowing, or even _breathing_, he whispered, "_What_?"

Tea rolled her eyes and responded as slowly and clearly as she possibly could, pointing to herself with both hands. "_I_, as in _me_, Tea Gardner, admit that I debased you in front of thousands of people who love you in more ways than one." She boredly crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto her opposite leg. "What more do you want me to say? I've confessed _just_ as you asked. So…does this mean I can I go now? Cause my friends are probably waiting…"

She knew damn well that she wasn't off the hook yet, but the look that boy had on his face at that moment made _every_ _pointless_ word she had just spoken even _more _than worthwhile. It was _priceless_. Geeze, of all the times she could pick to leave her camera phone behind…

_'Who_ _the_ _hell_ _does_ _she_ _think_ _she_ _is_?' Kaiba thought furiously. 'Mocking _me_? Seto Kaiba? To my _face_?' He slowly lowered his head so that his bangs concealed his icy blue eyes, firmly clenched his fists and teeth, and let out a viscous growl each time he exhaled. That _manipulative_, little _witch_…she had _conned_ his brother into helping her perform her twisted scheme, she had disgraced him in front of thousands, and _then_ she had the _audacity_ to go and laugh about…in _front_ of _his **face**_! She was basically saying: "Yeah, it _was_ me…but what the hell are _you_ gonna do about it?" And to be honest, that was a _very _good question…_what_ the hell _was_ he going to do with her? How the _hell_ was he supposed to get his revenge on someone with so much confidence and pride?

Tea bit her lower lip. She could irrefutably tell that Kaiba was mad…almost to the point where it seemed like she could _feel_ his malice pouring fourth from him like a colossal wave of negative energy. Well, it looked like she had _finally_ done it…it looked like she had finally made Kaiba _so_ furious, that it was probably taking him _every_ ounce of his precious strength to keep himself from _shattering_ her skull with his fist. Either that, or pulling out a loaded pistol and doing it _that_ way…

So…she was guessing that _now_ probably wasn't the best time to tell him that she required a new duel disk, huh? Then again, she _really_ needed one if she wanted to stay in this tournament, so it couldn't hurt to try…right? Cause its not like he could _kill_ her or anything…just, maybe, humiliate her to the point where she would _feel_ like she was dead, but she wouldn't _literally_ be dead. Just figuratively…or something like that. Now, those evil spirits were another story. They had the power _and_ the willingness to kill her and the people that they resided within. So that meant that she just _had_ to stay in this tournament…that she just _had_ to save Malik and Ryou…

Tea slowly took in a deep breath and audaciously walked over to where the enraged boy stood. "Uh, Kaiba? I know that this is probably a bad time to ask this, but I-" She paused for a moment to let out an inaudible gasp. Seto had lifted his head to reveal a _lethal_ glare; one that made Serenity's previous one seem almost…_friendly_. She quickly tore her gaze from his and continued. There was _no_ way he was going to intimidate her now. Hell, the ice she was walking on had _long_ been broken, so it wasn't like she could fall _any_ deeper…

"But I was still kinda wondering whether or not it would be at ALL possible for me to _borrow_ a spare duel disk you've got lyin' around somewhere. No, I wasn't incompetent enough to lose mine…it was actually stolen by some punk in the hospital parking lot earlier this evening. (sigh) I'd really hate to have to turn back now just because someone else took what was mine. I worked pretty damn hard to get here, ya know, so regardless of what's happened…do ya think you could find it in your heart to forgive me and…lend me another?" She laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. She had _really_ wanted to screw over Bakura's Yami right then and there, but getting him disqualified would mean that she wouldn't be able to put the _other_ things she had in store for him to good _use_…that, and the fact that Kaiba probably wouldn't have believed that there was another "soul" living inside of Bakura's body anyway…

"Please?" she continued after a short pause. "Unless I'm no longer eligible to stay, since you have the authority to say that I'm not 'n all. But well, I…I _really_ need to duel in this tournament. My friends are counting on me…more than you could _ever_ imagine."

She took in a deep breath and looked back up into his malicious gaze, which at this point looked more tired and confused than angry…

To her surprise, and probably his as well, Seto slowly reached out and pointed to a box that was sitting in the corner of the room, placidly rubbing his sore temples in the process. "They're over there…in that box. Take your pick."

It took her a few moments to respond, and even when she was finally able to verbalize her words, they came out all wrong: "I…oh, uh…well, um…thanks?"

Kaiba slowly shook his head and plopped back down onto his chair. "Yes…I do believe that's what you say to someone after they've given you something that you don't deserve."

Tea laughed at her own stupidity as she sprinted over towards the box. '_Smooth_, Tea. _Real_ smooth…'

As she proceeded to walk back over to the door, she stole one last quick glance at the morose CEO. He had his head resting in his hand and seemed to be muttering under his breath. For a moment there, she had to admit that she almost felt…_sorry_ for the poor guy. After all, he was _simultaneously_ running an _enormous_ tournament, struggling to keep his multi-billion dollar corporation operating smoothly, _and_ he was taking care of his little brother, making sure he had everything he needed and more. That would be enough to send _anyone_ over the edge. And to make matters worse, it almost didn't seem like anyone was really making an effort to help him out with any of it, and that _wasn't_ exactly fair…

A small smile materialized on her lips – which was strange because she wasn't feeling very content at the moment – as she paused at the door, resting her hand on the post.

She could NOT believe that she was ACTUALLY going to do this, but…here went nothing…

"Hey, Kaiba?" she began, keeping her eyes directed towards the floor. "Look, I'm…I'm sorry. I _know_ that I can be very immature sometimes…I'm well aware. But it's only because I…" Her voice drifted off as she sighed and turned around to face her unamused listener. "Okay, okay - I know! There really _is_ no excuse for what I did. But what can I say? I _enjoy_ actin' like a vivacious, carefree kid sometimes. It's just the type of person I am." She paused for a moment, frowning as she contemplated her words wisely. "But you…you seem like you grew up a long time ago. Nothing's fun and games for you any longer…not even duel monsters. Hell, I'm not sure that it ever was. It makes me wonder sometimes what it was that drove you to become the person you are today. I know that it's not any of my business or anything, but I still-"

"You're _right_," Kaiba retorted, cutting her off. "It's _not_."

Tea sighed and lowered her gaze back towards the floor before she continued. "I'm sorry…I guess what I'm trying to say is that you NEED to lighten up a little. It never hurt anyone to take sometime off from the wear and tear of everyday life…to drop their facades, stow away their cell phones, beepers, and pagers, disregard the long list of crap that they knew they had to take care of the next day, and have what I believe is _commonly_ known as '_fun_.'"

The annoyed CEO rolled his eyes. "I appreciate your concern, Gardner, but I don't _need_ it, nor do I _want_ it-"

"I know, I _know_, but I…I just wanted you to be aware of my concerns anyway. Well, that…and I also wanted to let you know that if you _ever_ find that you need someone to talk to - _about_ anything at all…you could always come talk to me. My life hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies either, ya know, but I still try to make the best of it. I just wanted to let you know, is all. That I'm _here_…that you're _not_ alone."

Kaiba didn't respond to her last bit of sincerity, so she decided that it would probably be best to just leave. She had talked her fricken _ear _off, and had most likely aggravated him even _more_ than he already was. Though, she was glad to have finally put that out in the open because she had wanted to for quite sometime.

Yet before she exited his office, Tea could have _sworn_ she had heard him murmur the unexpected words, "thank you," just before the door shut behind her. Then again, it was said too quietly for her to have been _absolutely_ sure, so she couldn't get her hopes up too high in the event that she was wrong. But still, maybe…just _maybe_ this meant that she had _finally_ been able to _partially_ crack his cold, impenetrable barrier that he always kept up to protect himself, and only disarmed for the one's he trusted and cared for…

**xxXxxXxx**

"Where da heck could dat damn girl be!" Joey exclaimed, briefly glancing up from his considerably _large_ plate of food.

"Probably primpin' and preenin' in front of the mirror," Tristin replied, rolling his eyes.

"No way…dis is _Tea_ we are talkin' about here! She don't do dose dings…besides, she's already clarified that with me."

"Hey, she's a girl. Since that's the case, I can only assume…"

"Well, ya assume _wrong_."

"Well ex_cuse_ me, Mr. Know-it-all!"

"Very well…you're excused."

"What the…! I wasn't _asking_ for your _permission_ to be excused, thank you very much!"

"Well, I'm givin' it to you anyway. I mean, _someone's_ gotta direct a confused guy like yuhself…"

"Why I oughtta -"

"Joseph Wheeler, Tristin Taylor…_shut_ your goddamn traps!" Mai roared, cutting in on their conversation, which really wasn't a conversation at all come to think of it…

"Uh…yes mam!" Tristin exclaimed, saluting the woman as if she were some _high_-ranking official. Joey, however, _wasn't_ so obedient…

"Dammit woman! Ya _ain't_ my mom!"

"(gasp) You did _not_ just say what I think you said…_did you?_"

"Um…dat all depends on what ya thought I – er – said."

"Do you _want_ me to slam your head into another goal post again, you _brainless_ bastard?"

"Wha? Uh…I'm guessin' ya misundastood what I said…"

"Guys, is this _really_ necessary?"

"YES!" Mai bellowed, keeping her infuriated, violet gaze on her target.

Joey nervously eyed the raging blonde before answering his friend. "Of course it is, Yug! I mean, besides da fact dat Mai's threatenin' me 'n all…Tea's missin'! Have we _already_ forgotten?"

"Ya know, come to think of it, I do believe Kaiba had requested her presence in his office…I remember hearing some of his guards call upon her in a rather urgent manner."

All eating and conversing came to an abrupt halt as everyone focused their attention on the white-haired albino. In fact, it was _so_ silent, that you could have probably heard a pin drop…that is, until Joey's plate of food came crashing to the floor…

_CRASH!_

"WHA? Kaiba called her intuh his _private _office!"

"Well, yes…though, I think it was because-"

"Holy shit!" Tristin cried, cutting Bakura off.

"Holy shit is right!" Joey echoed.

"Do you guys _really_ think that…that Kaiba…that he…?" Yami nervously began, unable to completely verbalize his sentence.

"Hey, the girl _does _have a really _nice_ booty…" Duke humorously pointed out, only to get slapped upside the head. "OW, DAMMIT! Who – _Serenity_? What the _hell_ was that for?"

"For being a stupid jackass, _that's what_!"

"Hey, I was just - OW! What the – MAI?"

"I second that, you _hentai_."

Malik smirked. Looks like there was no need for him to intervene…those ladies seemed like they had everything under control…

Duke pouted and crossed his arms. "I was just saying…geeze."

"Yea, well I for one highly doubt Kaiba pays any attention to that kind of stuff," Tristin remarked. "He seems to be more of the 'gentlemanly' and 'uninterested' type…"

"Ug, you boys are _so_ naïve," Mai declared, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

"Naïve? Guys ain't _naïve_!" Joey viscously retaliated. "Though, Duke _may_ be an acceptation…"

"Eh, shove it dog boy! I bet you don't even know what the hell that word _means_!"

"_Dog_ boy, eh? Well, at least _I_ don't have a serious obsession with _dice_!"

"What the frick are you talking about? I'm not _obsessed_ with _dice_!"

"Uh-huh…as if da earrin' doesn't prove it."

"Why you…YA WANNA PIECE OF ME, YA DIRTY, LITTLE _MUTT_?"

"BRING IT ON, _DICE BOY_!"

Mai merely grunted and turned towards the others, attempting to ignore the boys' foolish behavior. "I don't think Kaiba _likes _Tea…I think he's just finally figured out that she's the one who pranked him!"

"WHAT?" Duke and Joey cried out in unison, while Yami and Tristin exchanged bemused looks.

Bakura laughed nervously. "If you guys had just listened to me for a _little_ bit longer…I was _about_ to tell you!"

"Wait a minute!" Tristin cried, as if something had suddenly clicked in his feeble, little brain. "This _can't_ be good! I mean, I highly doubt he's in there _congratulating_ her on a job well done!"

"No _shit, _Sherlock," Serenity retorted in a sarcastic tone.

"Aw man! For all we know, dat dirty load uh moneybags could have disqualified her! I mean, he _does_ have da power ta do dat kinda stuff!" Joey added in a serious tone.

"_Really?_ I had no _idea_!" Mai exclaimed with even _more_ sarcasm in her voice.

"Which means that she won't be able to help us stop-" Duke began, but cut himself off as he caught the dark, hooded man glaring at him from across the room. "Well…" he gulped, "ya'll know what I mean."

"Um…I don't believe _I_ do," Namu spoke up. He tried suppress an evil smirk as he watched everyone exchange nervous glances. Once he felt that he had had enough amusement for the time being, he said, "But, if you don't wanna tell me, I can always _pretend_ like I do!"

"Yeah, I think that would be best for now, dude," Tristin solemnly replied.

Before anything else could be said, the door to the mess hall flew open to reveal a _very_ confused and disheveled brunette. "Ya know, I don't know which is weirder…" she began. "The fact that I'm _not_ disqualified, or that I might have been able to get Kaiba to say…'_thank you._'"

"He said, _WHAT_?"

"Your still in?"

"I'd say _both_ facts are weird…"

As everyone crowded around the tired girl to hear what had happened and how she survived a trip into "the _doom_ pit," a very angry spirit backed up into the shadows. 'You've got to be _kidding_ me!' he mentally roared. 'Why the frick is it that _every_ time I try to get that dirty little wench out of my hair, she _finds_ a way back?"

'I _told_ you not to overestimate her!'

Bakura growled. 'You stupid _ass_! You never told me _anything_ of the sort!'

Malik laughed softly. 'Yeah, well I'm telling you _now_.'

'Just _shut up_!' the tomb robber hissed, knocking the chuckling Egyptian out of his thoughts. 'Why that filthy, little…eh, who gives a shit. I'll _still_ crush her, along with anyone else who threatens to get in my way!'

All of a sudden, the floor began to vibrate, and all conversing came to yet _another_ abrupt halt.

"Oh my God…we're all gonna _die_!" Joey screamed, covering his head with his hands and falling to his knees.

"For the love of - get off the damn floor, Joey! You're embarrassing yourself! …_And_ everyone else!" Tristin cried, pulling the blonde to his feet.

"HEY - lemme go dammit! NO! Have ya already forgotten dat we're on a huge aircraft dat's no longer sittin' on da _ground_!" Joey retorted, pulling out of the brunette's grasp.

"Dude, _please_. It's just another one of Kaiba's weird machines," Tristin replied casually, pointing towards the front of the room.

Everyone followed Tristin's eyes towards the front, just in time to see a _huge_ machine emerge from underneath the floor. It was kind of like one of those apparatuses people used to choose lottery numbers, except this one had two BEWD heads in place of, well, _normal_ slots.

"Woah…"

"I wish _we_ had that sort of technology back when I was Pharaoh…"

"Um…may I ask exactly _what_ da hell dat ding is?"

"You could, Joey…I'm just not sure any of us would be able to _answer_ you."

A pause. "Well…dank ya, Tea. I appreciate ya honesty."

"So _this_ is what that guy spends all his money on…"

"He's not a mere '_guy_,' sis…he's a '_moronic_ _fiend_.'"

Serenity rolled her eyes. "Riiiiiight. _My_ bad."

"Suddenly," Tristin began, "I have the urge to say…_bingo_."

Without taking his eyes off the strange contraption, Duke replied, "Go ahead…I'll laugh." **(1)**

"Alright everyone," one of the suited men began, stepping up beside the machine. "Welcome to the Battle City Finals! This device here is what will determine who will be facing whom in the next six to ten duels by randomly selecting two of the ten numbered balls that lay within its glass core. For anyone who doesn't already know…_your_ number is on the key to your room."

"Eh, we already know 'em…just start da damn machine, cause I wanna _duel_!"

"My Wheeler," a cold, sarcastic voice began, its owner stepping up beside the startled blonde. "I was almost _certain_ you hadn't memorized your number yet…either that, or you had already lost your room key. I must say, you've definitely thrown me for a loop _this_ time."

"Eh, go walk a dog!" Joey retorted, snarling like an angry wolf.

Kaiba raised a brow, slightly confused by his comeback. "Sorry…I _hire_ people to do those sorts of things _for_ me. But if you'd like, I can find someone who would be willing to take _you_ out for a potty break…"

"Hey, guys! _Guys_! Can we _please_ save the fighting for the _duels_?" Tea angrily cut in, clapping her hands.

"I agree…I mean, my _Harpie_ _Ladies_ are even starting to get restless!" Mai echoed.

Seto eyed the brunette suspiciously, but did as she asked. He was ready to get started anyway. He motioned to the man standing next to the machine. "Roland…let's get going."

"Uh, yes sir. Right away," the man quickly obliged.

"Johnson…" Kaiba continued, "I'd like you to head over to that robed woman's room, I believe she's number eight, and escort her out here for the drawing."

"Consider it done," the man replied.

But before Johnson had the chance to get anywhere, Lyra came into the room, and as if she had heard what had been said _previous_ to her entrance, she replied, "Excuse me, but that won't be necessary. Ishizu is not going to be selected to fight in this first duel, so she wishes to remain undisturbed."

Kaiba eyed the Egyptian curiously. "Whatever. It'll be _her_ problem if she forfeits her place in this tournament…"

Tea waved her arm, motioning the tanned woman over towards her. Once she had reached her side, she gave her a sly grin and whispered, "I wonder how she _knew_ that!"

Lyra laughed and brought a finger to her chin as if to ponder over the matter. "I dunno…maybe she's psychic or something!"

Tea laughed along with her, turning her head back towards the front. But as she did so, her azure gaze happened to meet an exotic violet one, deleting her smile from her face. Malik…he had been watching her, for who _knows_ how long. Though, the moment he noticed she had discovered his inward stare, his eyes widened a bit and he quickly looked away.

"Malik…" she whispered sadly. Tea's eyes softened as she smiled at his turned face. The poor guy…he was probably hurting inside just as much, if not _more_ than she was. If only she could go over there and comfort him…tell him that everything was going to be okay so that he didn't _have_ to be alone…

She had become so absorbed in her own thoughts, that she completely missed the drawing's initiation and Kaiba's announcement about Mokuba being the substitute for the absent finalist.

"Isn't that cool, Tea?" the little boy cried, pulling on her sleeve. "Seto's allowing _me_ to be the tenth finalist! Of course, I won't be too hard to beat, but still…it'll be fun! Hey, maybe _we'll_ even get to duel each other!"

Before she could respond, let alone take in the new information he had given her, the first ball was sucked up into the left BEWD's mouth.

"And the first finalist to compete in the upcoming duel is…number _six_! Bakura Ryou!" Roland vociferously announced.

Tea gasped and shot her eyes over in his direction. He was laughing nervously and scratching the back of his head as Joey congratulated him on being the first.

'Aw, come on!' she thought hopefully. "Come on! This would be the _perfect_ opportunity for me to shove him into the shadow realm for _good_!' She tightly squeezed her eyes shut, clasped her hands together, and continued to chant her hopeful little prayer, completely oblivious to the fact that the eye in the center of her bracelet had begun to glow…

"_And_…" Roland began again, "Bakura's opponent in the first duel of the Battle City Finals is none other than…number three! Tea Gardner!"

"Aw man…this is gonna be a _good_ one!" Tristin exclaimed, smacking the surprised girl on the back.

"You're tellin' me!" Joey replied with just as much enthusiasm. "_Especially_ if dat's not really…" His voice slowly faded off as he took a quick look at Tea's wristband, only to see that it was glowing and pointing _directly_ at his so-called _friend_. A nervous laugh escaped his parched throat as he furtively took a couple of steps away from the thief. 'Aw man! He's definitely gonna send me ta da shadow realm for _dat_ one!'

Duke eyed the shivering blonde suspiciously. "Dude…are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah…" Serenity echoed, except she was eyeing him with concern. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

"God, I _hope_ dat's all it was…I'm too young ta die!" was all he answered, cringing in the process.

Duke raised a brow. "O-_kaaaaaay_…"

"He'll be fine," Mai remarked serenely. "I just hope he's not gonna be needing a diaper change anytime soon."

"What da - HEY! I don't _need_ no diaper change, _dank_ you very much!" Joey retorted, snapping up his head and giving her a nasty glare.

"See? What did I tell ya?" Mai laughed. "Good as new!"

Duke quietly sniggered while Joey merely pouted and crossed his arms. "Not funny Mai."

On the other side of the room, Yami was snarling as he watched the white-haired spirit's expression change from innocent, to guilty. 'If that evil fiend troubles Tea in _any_ way, I will _personally_ send his mind _straight_ into the deep, dark depths of _hell_!'

'Woah there…' Yugi replied from deep within his mind. 'Calm down, Yami. There's no need for you to blow a gasket over the matter.'

'Oh, uh…Yugi! I'm sorry…I kinda forgot you were, uh…_listening_."

His smaller self rolled his eyes. 'Gee, thanks…that makes me feel _so_ loved.'

'You'd better not screw this up, _Bakura_,' Malik thought irately to himself. 'But you'd _also_ better not bring any harm to the girl, or else I may be forced to _dispose_ of you myself!'

Kaiba grinned as he exited the room. 'Good luck, Gardner…though, I highly doubt you're gonna need it.'

"Would the _contestants_ please step into the pod on their left," Roland announced stridently, cutting in on everyone's thoughts. "And would all _bystanders_ please head up those stairs on the right."

"Come on, everyone!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Follow me!"

"You da boss!" Tristin joked, patting him on the head.

After a few minutes, everyone had finally cleared out of them room, leaving only Tea and Bakura to be escorted up by Roland.

"You do _know_ that the outcome of this duel is inevitable…" Bakura whispered vindictively as they both stepped onto the elevator that would take them up to the arena. "I _will_ win."

Tea grinned as she casually leaned back against the pod's glass wall. "Heh…not if kick your ass _first_!"

**xxXxxXxx**

Okay! You've read it…two months after you read the previous chapter. Well, tell me what ya'll think, aiight? I'll _try_ to update sooner next time, but be sure to notice the emphasis I put on the word _try_…

**Oh! _Before_ I go, I have one _important_ announcement…**

**READ THIS: **_I know a lot of you guys are fans of **BlackBelt's** stories, right? Yea…I know ya are! I'm a big fan of her work myself! She's an awesome writer! Well, it turns out she's bringin' back her amazing Yu Yu Hakusho story, **"Angel Wings,"** which she renamed **"New Girl!"** It's new and improved, and she'd REALLY appreciate it if ya'll were to go and check it out! D It's really good! I insist that you read it! NOW! I mean…after you review this, of course. Heh, heh…_

**Random Note:**

**1.** Yes, for all you nerdy fans out there, that quote WAS from the show. I just love it.

Later! D (and when I say this, I'm hoping that I don't mean three months from now… -.-")


	14. Tea VS Bakura

Look people, I'm _slow_…whaddya _want_ from me! (O.o) Thanks to those you who reviewed…always appreciate it:)

**Two quick things**: First of all…Rebecca, you're a _FREAK_! Get a _life_! (-.-") Second, and more importantly, the duel portrayed within this chapter will most likely _NOT_ be accurate, and this is because the person who was supposed to teach me how to duel – and how to write them – has _mysteriously_ disappeared off the face of the earth…

**smcandy**…WHERE THE _HELL_ DID YOU GO! (O.o)

Disclaimer: I have two words for the person who invented this _stupid_ rule: actually, the first is too inappropriate to say, so I'll just say the second…_you_.

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 14**: Tea VS. Bakura

"Aw man…dis is gonna be SA-WEET!" Joey exclaimed, as he and his friends gathered on the top deck of the massive Kaiba Corp aircraft beside a large, elevated stage.

"Tell me about it!" Tristin echoed, a sly grin spreading across his lips.

"Yes, well _I_ for one feel kinda _sorry_ for the poor guy," Duke chimed in.

"Who…Bakura?" Joey questioned, raising a confused brow.

Duke rolled his eyes. "No, Billy _Joel_…"

Joey scratched his head. "Huh? Who's Billy Joel? He some expert duelist dat I dun know about?"

Devlin ignored the blonde's obtuse remark and continued. "I mean, he's goin' up against _Tea_…you know, as in the _ultimate_ _dueling_ queen?" He sighed when all he received in response was a bunch of blank, uninterested, and confused stares. "In _other_ words…the guy's gonna get his ass whooped."

Mai narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "And _what_, may I ask, makes you so _sure_?"

The ebony-haired boy gave the blonde woman a weird look as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "_Logic_, my dear…that's what. Besides, I thought you'd be on Tea's side…most of us here _are_, aren't we?"

Joey poked Tristin in the ribs with his thumb. "Hey, man…who's Billy-"

"A SINGER!" his friend bellowed, straight into his ear. "AN _AMERICAN _SINGER!"

The blonde's honey-hued eyes quickly transformed into thick, black, rotating swirls. "…Ow."

The brunette sighed. "Now, would you pu-_leeze_ drop it already?"

Joey pouted. "Yeah…fine. But didya really have ta take out my goddamn _eardrum_? How was _I_ supposed ta know who he was? I'm _Japanese_, not American."

Tristin merely rolled his eyes and turned his attention back towards the matter at hand. "Whatever…"

Mai gave Duke a menacing glare. "_God_, aren't you even the _slightest_ bit suspicious as to how Bakura had managed to depart from the hospital _virtually_ unharmed, snag a duel disk _after_ they had stopped divvying them out, and then proceed to scrounge up enough locator cards to allow himself admittance into the finals? He was _with_ you guys when you had registered last week, and ya know what? I even recall Tea _telling_ me that he had absolutely _no_ intention of entering!" She paused for a moment, panting heavily, her arms stiff at her sides, her ruby-red lips tightly pursed, and her eyes dangerously narrowed into tiny slits. "Try explaining _that_ one to me."

The three boys remained silent, their brows lowering and facing contorting in bewilderment. How _were_ they supposed to explain it? The girl wasn't lying…it _didn't_ make any sense.

"I'm afraid that Mai is correct." All eyes turned towards the spirit of the puzzle who stood prudently behind them, his arms crossed and eyes closed. "And I think I know why…"

"Why _what_? Why Bakura's was able to perform those impossible tasks?" Tristin asked anxiously.

"Yes…" Yami replied, slowly lifting his lids to reveal dark, crimson eyes.

"Why?" everyone exclaimed simultaneously.

'Yes, Yugi, please enlighten us,' Kaiba thought curiously. 'I _too_ would like to know how he had managed to beat my system with such precision and haste…'

"Because," Yami began softly, his face growing strikingly serious. "That boy isn't Bakura at all…he's the Spirit of the Ring."

"The wha?" Serenity asked, utterly lost.

"I'm with her on this one," Namu remarked as he raised a skeptical brow. "The _who_?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes. 'Then again, I should have _known_ that your rebuttal would have something to do with your _ridiculous_ Egyptian fairytales…'

"You mean _Yami_ Bakura?" Tristin cried, his face growing pale and his eyes wide. "As in _Bakura's_ Yami! But I had…I threw the ring…it was _out_ the window, guys! I _swear_! I mean, I _explicitly_ remember throwing that damn thing out one of the windows in Pegasus' castle, _all_ the way back in DK! He was _gone_, I tell ya! _Gone_!"

Duke raised a brow and eyed the brunette like he was some sort of psychotic fiend. "Dude…chill out, would ya? You're embarrassing your-"

"Chill _out_?" Tristin exclaimed, cutting him off as he whirled around to face him. "He sent my fricken _MIND_ to a realm filled with nothing but _shadows_ and _psychotic_ grim reapers, armed with giant _scythes_, and all you can think to say is _CHILL_ _OUT_?"

Duke's eyes widened as he raised a brow. "Um…I wasn't aware of-"

"I mean, can you even begin to _fathom_ what it feels like to be separated from your body, and shoved into an inanimate _PLAYING_ card?" Before the dice master could reply, he bellowed, "I DIDN'T _THINK_ SO!"

Devlin's pupil's shrunk to the size of peas, and since his eyes were green…they REALLY looked like two, tiny, pupil-less peas. "Um –"

"Aw SHIT!" Joey cried, grabbing his head with his hands. "Damn, I _knew_ it! I just _knew_ dat it was him! I mean, had _seen_ Tea's bracelet glowin' and stuff when we were back in da mess hall, but I didn't stop ta dink dat he had actually _heard_ dose dings dat I had…aw MOTHER FRICKIN' SHIT-BOX HELL! What da _hell_ am I gonna do?"

"(gasp) Joseph Wheeler, _watch_ your DIRTY little _mouth_!" Mai scolded, slapping him upside the head. But Joey, for the first time ever, seemed to be unaffected by her sudden act of brutality, and continued to whimper like a lost puppy; something about not wanting to die at an early age…

She slowly retracted her hand and proceeded to gape at him. 'What the heck's eatin' him? It's not like he did anything to upset the guy or make him wanna come after him or anything…oh God, who am I kidding? He must have really screwed himself over…that _stupid_ lug-head!'

"Aw man, he is SO gonna _kill_ me! Me and my _damn_ big mouth!" the blonde continued, completely oblivious to the fact that Miss Valentine was staring at him like he was some sort of seven-eyed alien. To himself, he thought, '_God_, am I SO glad that Lyra isn't here to witness my anti-manly behavior…bet if she was, I would have _totally_ forgotten and acted this stupid regardless! _Hence_ da fact dat I am glad…'

A few feet away, Tristin continued to mumble to himself…"Man, I _really_ hope he didn't hear me say any of that stuff! Wouldn't wanna give him any bright ideas…the _last_ thing I need is for him to send my mind back to the Shadow Realm. I mean, I think my brain would start to ooze out my nose, or worse…MY _EYES_!"

"Okay ya know what? I think I'm just gonna go stand over there…_far_ over there…yeah," Duke said slowly, carefully edging away from the two hysterical boys.

Meanwhile, Malik was struggling to muffle his laughter. 'Ra, what a bunch of _saps_! At this rate, they're bound to wet their freakin' _pants_!'

"Oh my God, would you two just _shut_ up?" Mai cried vehemently, slamming her white, heeled boot hard into the metal floor. "I mean you're acting like a couple of _brainless_ monkeys!"

"But with good reason," Joey informed her, holding up an index finger.

The angered woman growled. "I don't know _where_ the hell you guys have been all this time, but I know for a _fact_ that we've encountered Bakura's dark side _multiple_ times since Pegasus' Tournament!"

"Oh really? Cause _I_ recall _nothing_ of the sort!" Tristin retorted defensively.

The blonde snorted, mumbling offensively under her breath: "Heh…someone musta shoved your head pretty damn far up your ass to make you forget something like that…"

"What was that?" Tristin snapped, whirling around to face her, his hands balled into tight fists.

Mai shook her head and grinned. "Oh nothing…nothing at all."

He eyed her skeptically, not believing a single word that exited her mouth. "Right…I'm sure. But seriously, I don't remember seeing that creep since that one time back in DK…yes! I remember now! We were being chased by a couple of Pegasus' goons, and I was, of course, _completely_ oblivious to the fact that it was Yami Bakura leading me through that maze rather then our friend…that is, until he tried to steal Mokuba's soulless _body_ straight off my goddamn back!"

Mai shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever, hun…if you prefer denial over actual fact, then who am I to try and persuade you to think otherwise?"

The brunette snarled, boring his fiery, brown eyes straight into the seething blonde's violet ones. "You weren't even _listening_ to me, were you?" Before his opponent could respond, he added, "No, ya know what? Don't answer that, cause I've already decided that I'm going to take heed in what _you_ had said, and completely deny _everything_."

"Okay."

"_Good_."

"Great."

"_Super_."

"CHILDREN, _PLEASE_!" Serenity suddenly shrieked, sending the quarreling pair into silence. "I mean, God! Can we all go at _least_ FIVE minutes without starting a stupid fight?"

"Nope."

"Probably not…"

"_Obviously_ not."

"…Nah."

The red-haired girl swallowed the horrible urge to scream. '_WHY_ do I even _BOTHER_?'

"May I have everyone's attention please?" a voice suddenly sounded from atop the dueling arena.

"Dude…how'd that _Roland_ guy get up there?"

"I dunno, but look! There's Tea and Bakura stationed on either side!"

"Looks like it's about to begin."

"GO _TEA_! KICK ME SOME EVIL SPIRIT _HINEY_!"

"Sure…intimidate the guy even _more_! That ought to save you're skin…"

"Shove it, _dice_ boy!"

"After you, _mutt_!"

"Once again, could I _PLEASE_ have everyone's ATTENTION?" Roland vociferously repeated, this time looking quite flustered. Alas, the two boys continued to argue…

"No, no, I insist! _Ladies_ first!"

"What the – I ain't no lady!"

"Sure does look like it ta me! I mean, as I have stated NUMEROUS times before, ya've got the earrin' and everythin'!"

"Why you little-"

"Wheeler! Devlin! Shut your goddamn mouths and pay _attention_!" Kaiba exclaimed from the opposite side of the deck, his voice loaded with hostility and icy eyes blazing with fire.

The two boys immediately did as they had been instructed, directing their frightened expressions towards the announcer on top of the arena.

Mokuba grinned. "Go big brother!"

Serenity's brow began to furiously furrow. 'Why the hell couldn't he have done that _before_? This is like the _third_ fight that's occurred within the past TEN minutes!'

The man in black forced a smile, and, through tightly clenched teeth, mumbled a curt, "_Thank_ you…" He then paused for a moment as he turned around to face the duelists. "And now, let the first duel of the Battle City finals, Tea…" he extended his right arm in her direction, "VS. Bakura," and then his left towards the smirking spirit, "_begin_!"

The crowd was silent as they watched the two teens each activate their disks and draw their first 5 cards.

"Hey," Tea began, "How about we make things more _interesting?_ You know…raise the _stakes_ a little bit."

Bakura raised a brow. "_You_ want to _raise_ the stakes?"

"Yes."

He smirked, highly fascinated by the girl's sudden urge to take a serious risk. "Alright…I'm listening."

"What the hell's she doin'?" Joey hissed in Yami's ear.

"I…" he began, his voice uncertain, "I don't know…"

"I want the winner of this duel to leave the arena carrying _more_ than just their opponent's best card…" She paused for a moment, allowing her eyes to linger over to the golden item that hung around her adversary's neck. "If you lose this duel, I want full custody of your ring, and for you to leave Bakura's body…_permanently._"

All was silent as everyone waited for the spirit's response.

Yami Bakura remained unfazed. "And…if _I_ win?"

Tea paused for a moment, lowering her gaze to the ground. "Then my bracelet is yours for the taking…along with much-needed _accessories_, of course."

The tomb robber blinked a couple of times and then burst out laughing. "Ha! As if I don't already know that you're the only one that can touch that thing! Just how _stupid_ do you think I…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the sullen look she had in her eyes as she lifted them to meet his. A wolfish grin crossed his pale lips as realization dawned on him. "_Oooooh_. I get it." His grin turned into a toothy one. "I always _knew_ that you were a foolish girl, and this little bargain contains _more_ than enough evidence to confirm my belief…heh, heh." He paused for a moment and nodded his head. How could he pass up the chance to receive yet _another_ Millennium Item? And not just any item, but the most _powerful _one in existence? "You have yourself…a _deal_."

"Wait, _what_?" Tristin cried. "What did she just agree to do?"

"Yeah! We all know that Bakura can't _possible_ lay a finger on that bracelet because _Tea's_ the only one who can touch it!" Mai echoed with just as much ferocity, squeezing her hands into tight fists.

'What did she just _promise_ you, Bakura?' Malik hissed, glaring at the spirit with violent, violet orbs. But he received no response…just a quick flash of an amused expression. 'I _thought_ we had agreed that the girl was to remain _unscathed_!'

'You said _nothing_ of the sort…besides, it was _her _idea.' He laughed. 'And anyway, it's not like I'm going to _kill_ her. More like…_condemn_ her to an eternity of darkness!'

Malik struggled to swallow an irate scream. 'You _FOOL_! Do you have any _idea_ what I'd _DO_ to you?'

Bakura shrugged. 'Not really, nor do I care. Besides, you'll have you're God card by then, so I'm sure that you'll have _long_ forgotten your _heart-throbbing_ concern.'

The young Ishtar felt his blood begin to boil as he tightened his grip around the golden rod that he had obscured behind his back. '_BASTARD_!'

Bakura didn't hear any of the Egyptian's foul language that came after that, for he had cut off the link. '_Ignoramus_…who does he thing he is, bossing me around like that? _Nobody_ tells me what to do…he should have realized that before he agreed to form that so-called _alliance_ with me.'

"Seto! Are they…are they allowed to make bets like that? Ones that don't really seem as friendly as they sound?" Mokuba asked the elder Kaiba, helplessly tugging on his long, flowing trench coat.

The CEO didn't remove his eyes from the two on stage, but still responded, "They can do whatever they want…it's _their_ duel."

"But Seto! What if-"

"_Mokuba_…" Kaiba slowly retracted his icy gaze from the stadium, and lowered it until it was level with his brother's. "Let it _go_."

Feeling defeated, the young boy reluctantly allowed the white material to slip from his fingers, and lowered his head towards the ground. '_Please_ be careful, Tea…I don't want to lose my _only_ big sister!'

"Hey Yugi! Do you know what the hell's goin' on?" Tristin uproariously questioned, staring impotently at the alarmed spirit.

Instead of answering him, he cried out to the girl: "No, Tea, you _mustn't _commit to this! You're _underestimating_ him!" When he didn't receive a response right away, he added, "Please, you _must _reconsider!"

Tea slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Yami, but I _can't_."

"Can't what?" Serenity cried. "What _exactly_ did you promise to do?"

"Yes! Please tell us!" Mai echoed, tears of concern and despair consuming her soft, violet eyes as she stared desperately up at the girl on stage.

Upon hearing all the commotion, Yugi emerged from within the puzzle, materializing beside his counterpart. 'Yami, what's going on? Why is everyone yelling?'

'Go back inside the puzzle, Yugi…you don't want to be here to witness this.'

'Witness what?'

'Nothing! Just go back inside!'

'Yami…"

"I SAID GO BACK INSIDE!"

The spirit hadn't realized it, but he had exclaimed those last few words aloud, and now everyone was staring at him with immeasurable worry.

Mai repeated her question, but this time to him since Tea hadn't answered. "Yugi…what's she gonna do?"

"We deserve to know!" Joey added.

Tristin nodded. "Yeah, we care about her just as much as you do!"

"Hey!" Tea cried, silencing them all. "Would you guys _relax_! You don't have to worry! I'm gonna win this thing…no matter what."

"But what did you _promise_ him?" Serenity continued to plead, aggravation evident in her tone. She was _kinda_ sick of being ignored…

"Yes! _What_?" Mai cried. "_Why_ won't you tell us?"

'Yami, Tea's obviously too preoccupied to explain anything to them, so why don't _you_ just do it _for_ her?' Yugi beseeched as he reluctantly retreated, his transparent form slowly fading. 'Because you and I _both_ know that-"

'Wait, you _know_?' the spirit telepathically exclaimed, cutting off his mental companion in mid-sentence.

'Well, I do _now_…I'm afraid you're not exactly being mentally discreet about it…'

The Pharaoh smiled sheepishly. 'Oh…sorry to have worried you.'

'You didn't _worry_ me, Yami…you _informed_ me, that's all. Now get going, would ya?'

'Alright Yugi…I'll tell them.'

'Thank you.'

He didn't say anything audibly until his lighter half's illusory form had completely vanished. Once it had, he carefully turned to face his friends. "Tea…" he began. "She –"

"Oh, for the love of Ra - I promised to give Yami Bakura, if he leaves this arena victorious, my millennium item; the necessary accessory being my _body_." Everyone's eyes immediately shot over in Tea's direction, utterly bewildered. "In other words," she continued, "if I lose this duel, Bakura will still be freed, but as punishment for failing to defeat his darker half, I will be forced to take his place within the Ring's spiritual prison. Heh, ya might say that the demented spirit would be gettin' a sex change…"

The spirit let out a half sarcastic, half-haughty laugh, his expression promptly faltering as he viciously hissed, "That wasn't funny, you dirty little _wench_."

None of her friends, on the other hand, said a single word. They all just stared up at her with gaping mouths, and baffled and distorted expressions; their eyes pleading for her to tell them otherwise…that she wasn't being _serious_…

Yami slowly lowered his head and closed his eyes. 'Why, Tea? …_why_?'

'Yami…'

'_Why_! Why the hell is she going _through_ with this?'

'I'm sure there's a good reason.'

The spirit of the puzzle sighed. 'You're probably right, Yugi, but…I can't help but worry. What if she loses?'

'She won't.'

'You don't know that for sure…'

'_Yes_, as a matter of fact, I _do_…and so do _you_.'

The ancient Pharaoh hastily lifted his lids and gasped, but his shock quickly faded as realization dawned on him, his mouth curving into a sly smirk. 'You're right, Yugi…I _do_.'

'Heh…told ya.'

'He wouldn't…' Malik thought, glaring poisonous daggers at the smirking spirit. 'He _knows_ I'd kill him…without _mercy._"

Kaiba raised a brow. 'Her _body_? What sort of _absurdity_ is that?'

"Are you about ready to start, my dear?" Bakura impetuously interrogated, eyeing his opponent with the utmost hatred.

Tea nodded, slowly diverting her gaze away from her friend's afflicted visages, but not before flashing them all one last quick smile. 'They should learn to _trust_ me more often,' she thought bitterly. 'They should know that I'd _never_ do something this reckless unless it was for a virtuous cause…'

And it was…Bakura was their _friend_, and he sure as hell didn't deserve to be possessed by some psychotic apparition that prevented him from living an actual _life_. Not only that, but in order to defeat the evil that lay dormant within Malik's body, she needed to get through _this_ nutcase first…

'Besides,' she continued, 'someone _has_ to take action, and apparently…that person _has_ to be me.'

She quickly rented herself from her frustrated thoughts and directed her attention back towards the impatient spirit that stood before her. "Of _course_ I'm ready…and I'm sure that, regardless of the fact that you're an old, decrepit demon, that you _still_ know the rule…" She grinned as she slapped two cards down on her duel disk. "Ladies _always_ go first…"

Bakura snorted. "Heh…never heard of it. But since you've already gone, I suppose I don't have much _choice_ in the matter, now do I?"

Tea rolled her eyes. "I summon Witch of the Black Forest in attack mode, place one card face down, and end my turn." She smiled sweetly as the black-haired sorceress materialized in front of her. "Go ahead…show me what you've got."

The villainous spirit's nasty scowl slowly curved into a ruthless smirked. "Gladly…" He quickly pulled a card from his hand and slapped it down on his disk. "I play Spirit Reaper, in attack mode."

Tea raised an unamused brow. "Um…whatever happened to 'showing me what you've got?'"

Bakura shrugged. "Dunno…guess I forgot."

"Oh my God, LOOK! It's that _DUDE_! The one that tried to SLICE off my _freakin_' CRANIUM!" Tristin screamed, throwing his arms over his head.

Joey laughed. "Yeah, it is…but it's only got like 300 attack points, while Tea's monsta has 1100. _You_ do da math…"

Tristin cautiously lowered his arms, but continued to stare at the Reaper with terrified, brown eyes. "Yeah well…it _still_ scares the shit out of me!"

"Witch of the Black Forest…attack his _frivolous_ Reaper!"

Bakura didn't even flinch as his monster disintegrated into tiny bits of ashes and bone. "Eh, so you got me once…who gives? I summon Skull Servant, in attack mode."

Tea gaped at him. "S'this some sort of _joke_!

"Hardly."

"But…that thing has a measly _100_ attack points! Are you _failing_ to notice the power that my monster possesses?"

"No."

The brunette swallowed a scream. 'What the _hell_ does he think he's _doing_? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he had been personally trained by _Pegasus_!' She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and waited for the fierce anger growing within her to subside. She then lifted her lids, slapped another card down onto her disk, and remarked in a rather heedless tone: "_Fine_…I summon Dark Elf, in attack mode…now my elf, attack that petty monster so that I may be _rid_ of this pathetic moron once and for all…"

**xxXxxXxx**

"Alright _Tea_!" Tristin cried, cupping his hands over either side of his mouth. "You go!"

"Yeah, you're royally kickin' his _ass_!" Joey echoed, giving Mai a high-five.

The blonde woman smirked. "And to think that I had actually been _worried_ ten minutes ago…the guy has less then _1000_ life points left!"

Serenity smiled and turned towards Yami. "Aw come on, Yugi…Tea's winning! Why the long face?"

"Because," the spirit replied, briefly removing his troubled, crimson eyes from the duel, "I just _know_ that he's planning something. Yami Bakura has _never_ allowed himself to be beaten this easily before. There _must_ be something to this seemingly reckless strategy of his."

Serenity blinked a couple of times in confusion. 'Woah, this guy thinks _waaaay_ too hard.'

Tea rolled her eyes as she destroyed yet another worthless zombie with her Dark Elf that still lay untouched on the field. Her witch, who also remained unharmed, would've been destroyed a couple turns ago if it hadn't been for the trap card she had placed on the field during her first turn.

In other words, Tea still had every single ounce of her life points to spare, while the spirit was _seriously_ lacking his.

She was about to crack another nasty comment when her opponent began to chuckle, his crimson eyes growing dark and menacing as he lifted them to meet hers. "Why, thank you my dear," he began in his deep, raspy voice. "That's exactly what I _wanted_ you to do…"

Tea raised a brow. "Say wha?"

"Now that I have a given number of monsters within my graveyard, I can summon this…" His smirk darkened as he pulled a card from his hand and slapped it down on his disk. "I summon Dark Necrofear, in _attack_ mode!"

Tea watched as a small area of the spirit's field liquefied, and a strange, blue monster slowly emerged from beneath its swirling surface, arms crossed, head down, and eyes closed. It wasn't the prettiest thing she had ever seen – heck, she couldn't even tell if it was a male or a female – but it did have a lot of power; 2200 attack points to be exact.

She smirked as she waited for the spirit to proceed. "Oh wow…looks like you've _finally_ managed to draw something that has _some_ sort of advantage over my monsters. S'bout time…I was seriously starting to get bored."

Bakura sighed. "Hate to disappoint you, but I _won't_ be attacking…I _end_ my turn."

Tea did a double take on that one. "What? Are you out of your _mind_?"

"No…why? Are _you_?"

Tea ignored his stupid remark and continued on her vociferous rampage: "If I destroy that monster, you'll be a goner for _sure_! I can't believe you'd make such a stupid move! Hell, I can't believe you'd make _TEN_ stupid moves all in a fricken _ROW_!"

The spirit of the ring raised a brow. "My goodness. If I had only _known_ that you felt so _strongly_ about my performance…I would've started to try _a lot_ earlier on in the game…too bad."

Tea snorted. "Yeah _right_! You're life's on the line, buddy! Why the hell would you dare to risk that?"

"Because technically, it's not…"

"Bull shit!" the brunette roared. "Being forced to live within your Millennium Ring is just as bad as being dead…and YOU KNOW THAT!"

"True…but that doesn't mean that I actually _am_."

Tea paused for a moment to catch her breath. "Ya know what? This just goes to show that you're a totally _brainless_ bastard! _Always_ have been, and _always_ will be!"

A sadistic smirk crossed the albino's lips. What a foolish girl…"Alright, my dear. You'll have your way…DARK NECROFEAR! Attack her Elf and send it straight to _hell_ where it belongs!"

"Woah!" futuristic queen cried, caught slightly off guard. "Um, not so fast! I activate _Spellbinding_ Circle! Now, your dark Necrofear is trapped, half of its hit points have been drained, and my Dark Elf _continues_ to remain unharmed…" She grinned, but failed to notice that Yami Bakura's amused expression had yet to falter. "So much for your petty attempt to save yourself. I got ya now…" She quickly pulled another card from her hand and deactivated her witch. "Now, I sacrifice Witch of the Black Forest to summon something that'll _surly_ wipe your life points clean!"

Bakura's grin widened. "Oh _yay_."

Tea narrowed her azure eyes and exclaimed, "I summon Saint Joan, in _attack_ mode!" Feathers fell from the sky as the winged martyr emerged from the heavens, sword in hand, and ready to battle. "Now Joan, slice his pathetic Dark Necrofear in _TWO_!"

And within moments, the bizarre, blue monster was gone, its only remaining remnants being small patches of blue liquid that had yet to be absorbed by the floor. Strange thing was, Bakura was still in the game…and his face was looking jovial as ever…

The brunette finally took note of this. "What the _hell_ are you smiling about? More importantly…_why_ are you _still_ here?"

The albino chuckled. "Just watch…"

Tea raised a brow and smirked. "Watch what? You stand there like an idiot, completely un…protect…" Her voice faded off and her smirk vanished as quickly as it had appeared, for the entire field had become engulfed in thick, black and red clouds, covered in bloodshot eyes and gaping mouths. Talk about _bizarre_…

"What the…w-what just happened?" Mai whimpered, cowering close to Joey.

The blonde boy shrugged, wearily eyeing the scenery. "I dunno…sure is creepy dough."

"Yeah, but not as creepy as the reaper," Tristin added.

Duke cringed. "Oh my – would you PLEASE just drop that stupid _reaper_ thing? It's over man! O-V-E-R!"

The brunette smirked. "Heh, heh…if I didn't know any better, I'd say that _some_body was _scared_."

The dice master scowled. "What the – dude, are you on _crack_ or something? Cause I ain't scared!"

"Really? Looks to me like you're shakin' in your boots!"

"What the hell? I'm not even wearing…just _shut_ _up_, you stupid _doofis_!" the raven-haired boy snapped. "At least _I_ don't have nightmares about non-existent playing cards, out to slice off my head!"

Tristin shrugged. "Eh, well…at least _I'm_ not embarrassing myself in front of Serenity."

Devlin blushed as he noticed the red-haired girl was staring at him out of the corner of his eye. "I'm not…I'm not-"

"Not what? Afraid? Just who you tryin' to kid, man?"

The dice master's flustered mood quickly vanished as he held up a bony fist to the brunette's face. "Look man, I ain't cowering! Get it through your thick skull! Or do you need me to do it _for_ you?"

Tristin straightened his posture and tightened both of his own fists. "I dunno…maybe you _do_."

"GUYS!" Serenity cried. "Would you _please_ just _stop_ it? We're here to support Tea! Not to try and see who can start the most fights within a given _time_ period!"

The two boys stared at her in shock and bewilderment, but didn't respond. They merely nodded their heads and resumed watching the duel.

Mai grinned as she gently nudged the smaller girl in the ribs. "Where _have_ you been all this time? Tea and I could've used your help handling these lug-heads _numerous_ amounts of times…"

Serenity smiled sheepishly. "Eh, I think I just got lucky this time…"

Meanwhile, Tea was struggling to figure out what Bakura's evil side had planned. "Um…care to explain what the heck this – er – _place_ is?"

He smirked. "Why this, my dear, is known as Dark Sanctuary. It can be activated once Dark Necrofear is sent to the graveyard, and can remain on the field as long as I sacrifice a monster each turn."

Tea rolled her eyes. "And the point of it _is_?"

The spirit's grin turned wolfish. "Why, that is for me to know, and for you to eventually find out…the _hard_ way."

Tea scowled and crossed her arms. Stupid spirit…figuring out how the sanctuary worked _wasn't_ going to be easy since, aside from the freakish eyes and mouths that were scattered all across the walls, she didn't notice anything _overly_ strange about it…

That is, until a chalky-white ghost flew inches past her face, its mouth gaped in a silent scream. A small shriek escaped her lips. "What the…!"

Her rival let out an evil laugh. "A little jumpy, are we?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Obviously! It's not everyday that you see faceless _souls_ flying around!" She quickly shook off the freaky shivers that scornfully tickled the edge of her spine and drew another card. A devilish smirk materialized on her lips. "Well now, would ya look at that?" Her grin grew wider as she deactivated her Elf, and replaced it with another card. "I sacrifice my Dark Elf to summon…_Wingweaver_, in attack mode!"

"Oh…my…_God_!" Mai squealed as the beautiful, six-winged woman emerged from the clouds above. "I've always _wanted_ that card! How_ever_ did she find it? I've searched for _years_, but to no avail!"

"She looks _extremely_ powerful," Serenity added.

"She is," Yami chimed in, his expression finally relaxed. "2750 attack points to be exact."

"And what's going to make this little move of mine even _sweeter_, is that you don't have any monsters protecting your life points!" Tea exclaimed, throwing her head back to admire the monster that hung peacefully in the sky.

Bakura struggled to obscure his smirk, but was clearly having a hard time.

Tea growled. "_Still_ smiling, are we? Allow me to wipe that away for you!" She extended her right arm and towards the white-haired psycho. "Wingweaver…attack his life points directly, and win me this _duel_!"

The purple-haired woman, clothed golden garbs, gracefully descended from the sky in one fall-swoop. But before she was able to make it over towards her target on the other end of the field, the angel stopped, whirled around, and headed straight back towards her master.

Tea screamed. "What the – _wait_!" But it was too late…her Wingweaver had already attacked and taken a large chunk out of her own life points. The woman then whirled back around, and regained her position in the sky where she had been prior to the sudden mishap. Tea shot the spirit a malicious glare. "What the _hell_ just happened?"

The boy grinned as he pointed to the transparent soul that was circling overhead. "I'm afraid that you cannot attack me as long as I have this little guy on the field with me…and he comes with the Sanctuary, so the only way to get rid of him is to destroy my sanctum. But do _you_ know how to do that? No…I don't believe you do." He then motioned for her to look at her disk. "And…if you'll notice, the life points you just lost…"

The brunette gasped. "Went directly to _yours_! You now have over _2000_!"

Yami Bakura chuckled. "My, aren't _we_ a smart one!"

"I still don't get it!" Joey cried.

Duke shook his head. "Yeah, me neither! What's that spirit got to do with Tea's monster attacking her own life points?"

"And, what's it got to do with Bakura gaining all of her lost points as his own?" Tristin added.

"Yugi? Do you know?" Mai asked, her voice uncertain.

The Pharaoh slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

"OH!" Tea suddenly exclaimed. "I understand now!"

Bakura raised a skeptical, white brow. "Do you _really_?"

His opponent nodded and pointed up towards the looming soul. "Yes! That stupid spirit of yours must have possessed my monster so that it would attack _my_ life points instead of _yours_!"

Yami Bakura grinned. "Wow…I must applaud you. I was afraid that I was going to have to _tell_ you; that is, after I had already _devoured_ most of your life points."

Kaiba smirked. 'It's about _time_ things started to get interesting…'

Tea scowled. "Yes, well it's your move. So just go, okay?"

The spirit nodded. "That's correct. It is…" He pulled two cards from his hand. "I summon Dragon Zombie, and sacrifice it so that I may keep Dark Sanctuary in play. Next, I activate…_Destiny_ Board!" A dark laugh escaped his parted lips as he noticed the bewildered look on Tea's face had returned. "This, I'm afraid, is the end of the line for you, my dear…"

The brunette scoffed. "Really? Looks like a giant Ouija board to me…"

"That's _exactly_ what it is…"

"Tch, and just _what_ are you gonna do with that? Ask it whether or not you have a _brain_?"

"Not exactly…" He paused for a moment to scan through the cards he had in his hand. "With each turn that passes, the board will choose a letter that is part of an unknown word. After five turns, the word'll be complete, and the duel will be over…_I_ will win."

Tea cringed. This game was _definitely_ starting to head in the wrong direction…

"Come on Tea! You can still beat him! I _know_ you can!" Mai cheered from the sidelines.

"Yeah, we're with ya all the way!" Duke echoed.

Joey's face grew strikingly determined. "YEAH TEA! You kick dat spirit's sorry _ass_!"

Tristin laughed. "I'm with him! Kick it _hard_!"

"Kick it all the way to the moon!" Mokuba shouted from the other side of the deck.

The brunette smiled. Looks like everyone was rootin' for her, and since that was the case…she just _had_ to win.

She pulled another card from her hand and placed it on her disk. "Alright! I summon Dark Magician Girl, in attack mode!"

Bakura snorted. "What good will _that_ do you?"

Tea grinned and shrugged. "Not much, I guess…" She then pulled another card from her hand. "But I also activate _Reborn_ the Monster to bring Dark Necrofear _back_ from the graveyard!"

Yami Bakura lowered his brows. 'I didn't think she'd actually figure it out, but…oh well. At least I bothered to plan ahead…' He slowly shook his head before speaking aloud. "Sorry, but I'm afraid that I _cannot_ allow you to do that…" He quickly activated a facedown card that he still had on the field. "I activate Call of the Grave! It negates your ability to use Monster Reborn…too _bad_."

Tea's grin faltered. "Dammit! I thought I finally had you there!" She sighed and protruded her bottom lip. "Oh well…at least _now_ I know how to get rid of your stupid Sanctuary for sure: summon the monster that activated it in the first place."

The spirit nodded, his smirk returning. "Very good, Tea! I applaud you once again!"

"Oh, _bite_ me," she hissed in response.

"Gladly…I summon Pyramid Turtle, and sacrifice it to keep my sanctuary in play. And _theeeeeeen_…" The apparition raised his arm towards the sky and just as he did, the Ouija board activated and chose its first letter: D. "It appears that you have four more turns to defeat me, Tea dearest. Better think fast…"

'Shit…' she thought morosely. '_Now_ what am I gonna do?'

**xxXxxXxx**

"Sorry, but you _know_ your petty stalling only _delays_ the inevitable. Now, watch as the board chooses the fourth letter…"

Tea scowled as the next, ghastly letter appeared beside the three that had already been chosen: T.

D, E, A, T…

"Death?" Joey asked, scratching the side of his head. "Is da word, _death_?"

"It looks like it…and that can't _possibly_ be a good sign," Tristin added.

"If Tea loses this duel, Bakura isn't gonna _kill_ her, is he?" Serenity cried, her voice full of alarm.

"No way, sis. Ya know we'd _never_ allow dat ta happen," the blonde coaxed, pulling the distraught girl in close.

"Besides, Tea hasn't lost this game _just_ yet," Mai added. "Her Swords of Revealing Light are still in play, meaning that she still has _one_ more chance to pick a card that'll help turn things around!"

Duke snorted. "And what _card_ do you suppose could possibly help her perform such a seemingly _impossible_ task?"

Mai grinned. "Why, her Goddess card, of course!"

The green-eyed boy frowned. "Her what?"

Joey gasped. "Evareena! Dat's right! I forgot she had dat!"

"Come on Tea! There's still a way for you to win this!" Serenity cried, her apprehension slowly subsiding.

Malik bitterly crossed his arms and glared at the spirit with devilish eyes. 'Bakura...you know that I'll only hand over my item if the girl remains unharmed.'

The white-haired thief rolled his eyes. '_Obviously_…' To himself, he added, 'You've only told me 750 _million_ times…'

'So then…what do you plan to do with her? That is, if you actually manage to _win_ this…'

The spirit grinned. 'You'll see…'

The Egyptian growled. 'Oh no! You're gonna answer me _now_! Now or _no_ deal!' But it was too late…Bakura had already cut off the link. 'Son of a bitch!' He shifted his eyes over to where the brunette stood, looking quite flustered as she pondered over what to do. 'Dammit…what the hell am _I_ supposed to do? If she loses…I lose _her_.'

"You know, it would be _so_ much easier to just give up…_save_ yourself the humiliation."

"Shut up, Bakura! I don't have time to listen to your stupid voice anymore!"

"Ha, ha…just _look_ at yourself. You're sweating, shaking…if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you've finally reached your wit's end."

'No…' she thought as she placed her hand atop her deck. 'No…I _won't_ lose this. I _can't_ lose this…I have to free Bakura from a life that he has no control over, but I also have to save Malik from the monster that's living inside of him. So that means that…I just _have_ to win.'

Her eyes furtively lingered over towards where the platinum blonde stood. He was glaring at Bakura, his face contorted, eyes narrowed, and hands balled into tight fists. "This is for you," she mouthed silently as she lowered her lids, removed the top card from her deck, and held it up to her face…

Holy shit…it had _actually_ worked. _Thank_ _you_ heart-of-the-cards!

A malicious grin crossed her lips as she glanced over at the oblivious spirit, who was still, of course, looking rather amused. "Alright, Yami Bakura…" she began, her determination returning. "Are you ready to _lose_?"

He raised a brow. "Pardon? I'm afraid that you're mistaken. There's absolutely _nothing_ that you could _possibly_ do to win this game. I mean, you can't attack me, you can't destroy my Sanctuary, and you can't deactivate the board…" He paused to let out a raspy laugh. "Aw, I'd say that _someone_ was beginning to become a bit…_delusional_. Ha, ha…poor, _delirious_ you."

Tea's expression remained unaffected. "I don't know…am I?" She paused for a moment as she removed her three monsters from the field. "I sacrifice Dark Magician Girl, Saint Joan, and Wingweaver to summon…Evareena, the _Wing_ Goddess!"

No sooner had the words escaped her lips, did a massive, luminescent portal materialize in the sky above the aircraft, feathers raining down upon them from within. On either side of the heavenly gateway, sporadic bursts of light encompassed the sky, chasing away any of the remaining darkness. Finally, a figure descended from the upper atmosphere, the portal closing behind it. Everyone was forced to shield their eyes as the mysterious figure made its way towards the empty space above Tea's head, for it was completely engulfed in an extremely bright aura.

Slowly, the light subsided to reveal a long, diamond-like shape made of pearly-white feathers. Tea tilted her head back so that Goddess was level with her vision. "Well?" she began. "Aren't you going to reveal yourself?"

There was a short pause before the cocoon began to violently vibrate. Finally, after a seemingly great struggle, the massive cluster of fluff split open, sending hundreds of feathers raining down upon the field once again.

Mai held out her hand as one of them neared the place where she and her friends stood, gasping as she caught it in her hand. She could…_feel_ its soft bristles tickle the center of her palm, sending tender chills up each of her pale fingers. "Oh my," she breathed. "It's…_real_?" She then returned her gaze to the sky, only to send herself into an even greater state of shock.

"Holy…" Joey began.

"Shit…" Tristin finished.

For the first time in his entire life, Seto Kaiba was speechless. 'Dear Lord…and I had originally wanted to _destroy_ that card?'

Duke blinked a couple of times in utter shock and incredulity before he managed to find his voice. "People?" he began. "I think we have ourselves a winner…"

**xxXxxXxx**

The silent prophet slowly opened her cobalt-hued eyes after a long pause. "She has summoned the Goddess…"

Her companion's golden eyes widened immensely as she bolted upright from her relaxed position on the couch, and ran over towards a small, circular window on the opposite side of the room. "Oh my Ra, you're _right_! The sky…it's raining _feathers_!"

"Lyra…"

The raven-haired woman didn't remove her eyes from the window, but still responded, "Yeah?"

"You _do_ know what this means…don't you?"

This time, elder girl bothered to extract her eyes from the darkened sky, currently being enveloped by brilliant, white flashes of light and glowing feathers, and focused them on the young, azure-eyed prophet sitting across the room. "No…I'm afraid I don't…" When the woman didn't answer right away, she added, "Ishizu?"

The young Ishtar slowly closed her eyes and gently touched the glowing eye that lay within the center of her golden necklace. "It means that the outcome of the duel is about to be revealed…"

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Well, I would _assume_ so…God and Goddess cards usually indicate that the _grand_ _finale_ of a duel is about to initiate."

Without breaking her intangible trance, Ishizu replied, "Must you always be so sarcastic?"

The golden-eyed woman laughed. "Yes…as a matter of fact, I do…oh my Ra, _Ishizu_! You just _have_ to come here and look at this! She's…_beautiful_!"

The foreseer grinned as she broke free from her hypnotic state and opened her eyes. "I _know_, Lyra…I _know_."

**xxXxxXxx**

The figure above Tea's head had revealed itself to be a beautiful winged angel – not much larger then the Dark Magician in size – covered in white and golden garbs. Her majestic figure consisted of smooth, porcelain skin; breathtaking, emerald-hued eyes; magnificent, wavy, golden hair that floated hung her body in massive, shiny swirls; pointy ears with slightly rosy tips; and a long tail that swayed placidly behind her, shedding fluffy, white feathers in each direction it swung.

"So…_Bakura_," the blue-eyed brunette cooed. "Do you still think that I can't win this duel?" The spirit didn't respond. He merely gaped in awe at the winged woman that loomed over her head. "Yes, well while you recover from your shock, why don't we tally up her hit points and see just how powerful she's become, shall we?" Her adversary proceeded to remain silent, so she carried on. "My Goddess begins with 1000 attack points of her own, and gains 1000 for each magic card that I have in my hand. _Lucky_ for you, I have none. In addition, she receives the attack points of the all the female monsters that were sacrificed to summon her. _Unfortunately_ for you, _all_ the monsters that I had forfeited to beckon my Goddess were female…_powerful_ females, their total attack points summing up to about…" She paused for a moment to count on her fingers. "_7250_. So…I do believe that, given this information, the overall total of Evareena's attack points would be…" It was finally her turn to grin wolfishly. "_8750_…any last words?"

The spirit cringed. "_Shit_."

Tea laughed. "How articulate…couldn't have said it better myself."

Bakura flashed Malik one last look, his eyes begging for assistance. 'You fool! Don't just stand there! _Do_ something!'

Malik scoffed. 'Like what? _Pray_ for your immortal soul?'

The spirit didn't respond. He had refocused his attention back towards the physical fate that stood before him. 'There's no _way_ that I'm going to hand over my ring to the likes of her…stupid, foolish wench! I'll have to make a run for it…'

"Alright!" Tea boomed, raising her right arm to the sky. "Enough stalling…Evareena! Attack his life points directly with your Celestial Annulus!"

'Malik…' the albino mentally hissed.

The platinum blonde growled. 'WHAT?'

'The Goddess' blast should be enough to send my ring flying off the arena…I want you to grab it before the virtual after-effects dissipate. Is that clear?'

Malik crossed his arms and looked away, replying in a rather haughty tone: 'Hn…_whatever_.' To himself, he added, 'He had _better_ hope that the stupid thing drops _directly_ in front of my feet, because _I_ sure as hell ain't gonna go chasing after it.'

Yami Bakura smirked and held out his arms as he thought to himself, 'This isn't the _end_ my dear Lady…I _shall_ return!'

The winged Goddess did as she had been instructed, and lowered herself a few feet closer to the ground, her long, golden mane floating upwards above her head. She then closed her eyes and held out her arms on either side of her body, humming a soft melody as a strange, sparkly substance slowly consumed either of her pale forelimbs.

"Hey…what's she doin'?"

"I dunno…"

"Who _cares_ what she's doing? It's sooooo pretty!"

"Yeah…whatever ya say, sis."

"I'm with Serenity on this one, huns. I mean, it's not everyday you see an Egyptian _Goddess_ in action!"

"Everyone?"

Joey, Tristin, Mai, Serenity, and Duke all redirected their attention towards the spirit of the puzzle, who was watching the energizing Goddess with wide, crimson eyes.

"Yeah Yug?" Joey replied for the bunch.

"I suggest that you all shield your eyes…_immediately_."

Just as the words had left his lips, the Goddess angled her body slightly downward and spread her arms, emitting a colossal, luminescent circle of energy around her body, half disappearing into the midnight sky, half rapidly descending towards her helpless opponent. And just as the Pharaoh had forewarned, the light was incredibly intense, forcing everyone to obscure his or her faces and look away.

Tea, on the other hand, stared straight into the massive blast, watching as it sliced through the Sanctuary, causing its disturbing imagery to vanish in thin air; obliterated the Destiny Board, forcing it from its dominant position in the sky; and devoured Yami Bakura's life points, sending them straight down to zero.

The duel was over…she had won.

Strange thing was that just as the blast started to fade and her Goddess began to disintegrate into tiny, virtual pixels, Tea noticed that there was still a single, face down card that had yet to be activated on her side of the field. She quickly glanced down at her disk, but the only card in play was Evareena…

Tea hastily yanked the Goddess off her disk, and just as she did, the face down card vanished without a trace.

'Weird…' she thought, feeling utterly disconcerted. 'Not _only_ do I not remember playing that card…it's like it doesn't even exist…'

**xxXxxXxx**

Eh, I think that'll hold ya'll for a while…I mean, that was about 27 or 28 _freakin_' pages long! (O.o) Anyhoo, I hope you all enjoyed reading this, regardless of the fact that I'm not exactly your _average_ dueler; I think I'm somewhere _below_ that.

**One quick thing**: This was 1 of 2 duels that will be portrayed in its entirety within this story, or, in other words, that will take up an entire chapter. Just thought that I'd let ya'll know in case any of you thought that I was planning on writing out _TEN_ chapters worth of _DUELS_…(O.o) Heh, no way. Took me hours of surfin' the web _just_ to find all the monsters, magic and trap cards that I needed to write _this_ damn duel…

Um, feel free to tell me what ya'll thought, okay? That is, _EXCEPT_ for you Rebecca…I think you should refrain from writing for a while – uh, make that a LONG while…(-.-")

Ta ta!


	15. Of All the STUPID People

Er…Hi! Wassup? It's…uh, been an EXCRUCIATINGLY long while, hasn't it? Heh, heh…oooh _crap._

Now, I _could_ sit here, sputtering pathetic excuses like the blabbering idiot that I am, but…I think I'd rather save myself the time, effort, and space, and instead say "thank you" to everyone who read and reviewed that last chapter…

_**THANK YOU! **_

_(Oh, and before any of you read my responses…ya MIGHT wanna go back and read over what ya wrote me first. It's been a while, and I'm sure that most, if not ALL of you have LONG forgotten what ya wrote me. Heh, heh…)_

_- _

**Hula Hoop: **The _best_, you say? Heh, heh…I haven't even gotten to the GOOD stuff yet! And yeah…I know. It took me forever to update. But I just can't _help_ it! I'm the _slowest_ writer known to man – er _woman_.

**Firegoddess101**: Hey, the way I see it, the more reviews the _better_! And you gave me _plenty_, that's for sure!

**animeaddict99**: Oh my G-d…how the HELL did you manage to do _that_? ALL fourteen chapters? In ONE sitting? That's freakin' _craziness_! But…then again, that must mean I got ya hooked, right? Heh, heh…well then, in _that_ case, YAY! Glad ya liked it!

**PsychoSisters**: Why, thank you! I'm _very _happy that you enjoyed it! Makes me a little less frightened about writing the second one…IF I ever get to writing it, that is. (**-.-**) And knowing _me_, that's really not too likely…

**sogs**: Ya know, I _thought_ somethin' was a little bit fishy! I mean, your review was _so_ nice…_except_ for that one _wee_, little part. It just _didn't_ make any sense! And of course you're forgiven! I was never really mad…I mean, how _could_ I be? You're name is SOGS! It's so _cute_!

**AnimeSenko**: Believe it or not, you're not the first one to wanna worship me…O.o Yes, I know…it's a scary thought. Lol…anyway, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed that last chapter enough to wanna…well, _worship_ me!

**Kawaii** **Rin-Chan**: YOU? A _slacker_? Nu-uh! More like ME! I mean it's taken me like an entire YEAR to update this gosh-darn thing! And over the course of that…LONG period of time, you've not only reviewed my story, but you've read it…like THREE _whole_ times! XD Ya know, its reviewers like you that motivate me to get off my lazy butt, head on over towards my computer, and WRITE (not that I don't sit down when I write…cause I do). Really! So for that, I thank you! (And I'm sure everyone else does too…O.o)

**Blackbelt**: Oh, guess what? I _found_ Hiei! And I _beat_ him up! With a SLEDGEHAMMER! _Yay_! I feel SO much better now!

-

**IMPORTANT NOTE :** In my last chapter, I proclaimed the following: "Rebecca, you're a FREAK! Get a life!" For those of you who didn't bother to read what I wrote at the END of the chapter (when I told HER not to review), you might have WRONGLY assumed that I was bashing the Yugioh character Rebecca Hopkins (is that even her last name?). HOWEVER, I was merely responding to the endless chain of stupid reviews that my _cousin,_ Rebecca, had written me. In other words, I was NOT bashing the little blonde gal from the show. I **DO NOT** bash characters, _regardless_ of how much I may dislike them. I just thought I would let you all know in order to prevent any more angry reviews from being hurled my way…

That is all.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own --message truncated--

**xxXxxXxx**

**Chapter 15**: Of all the STUPID People…

"Hey guys…I don't think he's _breathing_."

"Um…_yes_, he is Tristin."

"No, no, I tink he's right. I mean, why else would I not be able ta feel uh pulse?"

"(sigh) Because having a pulse and not breathing are two _TOTALLY_ unrelated things, Joey! Well, er…yeah they are, but…what I _mean_ to say is that a pulse can be hard to find some-"

"Devlin, what the _hell_ are you blabbering about?"

Pause. "L_ogic_, _Taylor_. _That's_ what I'm _blabbering_ about."

"Hey, if you cease to breathe, then your heart slows to a stop. And if your heart slows to a stop, then your pulse disappears because it's supposedly 'in sync' with your heart. And if your PULSE disappears…well, then you're _dead_. It's as _simple_ as that. Now, if we were to apply this small snippet of information to the _current_ situation, then-"

"Oh _really_? Then mind telling me why Bakura's heart monitor is still _BEEPING_? Because he's _ALIVE_, you _dumb_-ass!"

Pause. "_Pshaw_…"

"_What_? What the hell is _that _supposed to mean?"

"Eh, just ignore 'im…I'm afraid dat Tristin tends ta make little sense when he feels defeated."

"What the…_DUDE_! We're _supposed_ to be on the same _side_, here!"

"And we are…its just dat dice boy's gotta point-"

"Hey, whaddeye say about callin' me '_dice_ boy?'"

"Uh…I dunno. I got some serious short-term memory problems, so...er, yeah."

Pause. "I _hate_ you."

"Trust me, buddy…da feelin's mutual."

As the anticipated brawl continued on its merry way, Mai and Serenity, who were standing closest to the door, exchanged half-amused, half-annoyed looks.

"I wonder if Bakura is just _playing_ dead…perhaps in the hopes that the others will go _away_?"

Serenity regarded the elder girl carefully, smirking at the thought. "Ya know…that really wouldn't surprise me."

"That's precisely why I…hey, wait a sec. Where the hell's Tea?"

The red-haired girl quickly whipped her head in either direction. "Um…wasn't she just standing over by the window a few moments ago, _mumbling_ incoherently to herself?"

"Um, yeah. _That's_ what I _thought_," came her baffled replay. "Where could she have gone?"

"Oh my gosh…I dunno! Her room? The mess hall? The deck? I mean the possibilities are _endless_!"

Mai rolled her eyes. "Hun, we're on a blimp…which means that there're _no_ possibilities as long as she hasn't decided to jump over the side of the dueling deck."

"Dude, don't TOUCH that! You're fricking with his _heart_ monitor!"

"What da _hell_ are ya takin' about? Dis is his _pillow_!"

"Pillow my ASS! Just how STUPID do you think I am, Wheeler?"

"Do you honestly want me to answer dat, Devlin? Cause I will if ya want me to-"

"IT WAS A _RHETORICAL_ QUESTION, YOU MORON!"

"Hey…" Serenity whispered over the ruckus. "What do you say we get out of here and, oh I dunno…I've actually been meaning to have a little _word_ with the narcissistic master of this castle, so why don't we head on over towards his office?"

The violet-eyed woman laughed. "Still sore about earlier, are we?"

Serenity rolled her eyes and shook her head, gracefully dodging an unidentified flying object that was "accidentally" hurled her way. "No…I just don't think it's wise to keep Bakura aboard this aircraft."

Mai slowly raised a golden brow and crossed her arms. "In other words, you want permission to _LAND_ this puppy so we can let 'em off." When the girl nodded, she shook her head in disbelief. "Sure, sure…sounds like a plan. That is…if you wanna _DIE_!"

Serenity glared at her. "_Okay_ then…give me _one_ good reason why I shouldn't."

"Hun, I can give ya three!" She held up a finger to indicate that she had begun counting. "One, I'm sure the mere _suggestion _of detaining this tournament for even an _instant_ will only bring you imminent pain and suffering. Two, you're a _Wheeler_. Three-"

"_Hey_! I RESENT-"

Mai shoved three fingers under the red-hair girl's nose, cutting her off in mid-sentence. "WHAT if you end up hollering at him again? He's bound to pull a goddamn _pistol_ on ya."

Serenity slapped the elder girl's hand away and narrowed her eyes. "Hey…whether or not I end up yelling at that egotistical bastard _utterly_ depends on how angry he's bound to make me."

"LEGGO OF THAT, YOU DUMBASS!"

"MAKE ME, YA BUTT-LICKIN' TOAD!"

"…Butt licking _toad_?"

"Um…it was kinda da first ding dat came ta my mind - _SHOVE _it Taylor! AS IF _YOU_ HAVEN'T SAID STUPID DINGS BEFORE!"

Tristin: (currently laughing his head off)

Serenity cringed, mechanically nudging her head in the door's direction as she whispered through clenched teeth: "So…whaddya say?"

Mai quickly nodded, grabbing the girl by the arm and shoving her towards their escape in the process. "Lead the way, hun!"

And within seconds…the girls were gone.

"Hey Mai…what do _YOU_ dink dis little box thingy does? …Mai?"

"Serenity?"

"_Tea_?"

"Where'd dey all go?"

"How are we supposed to determine whether or not you almost _killed_ Bakura _now_?"

"For da last _fricken_ TIME…I was touching his _PILLOW_!"

"FYI…PILLOWS AREN'T BEEPING, GRAY BOXES MADE OUT OF _METAL_, YOU IDIOTIC _BUFFOON_!"

"Guys…?"

All three boys silenced themselves as they whipped their heads in the direction of the soft, quivering voice, Joey being the first to speak up: "HEY, Bakura - _see, I told ya he wasn't dead_ – what's up? Ya feelin' any better?"

The pale-faced boy slowly tilted his head in either direction, reaching up to touch his empty nightstand with a shaky hand as he asked: "Where's my _ring_?"

**xxXxxXxx**

Tea let out a long, mournful sigh as she reflexively brushed her fluttering, brown locks out of her drooping, azure eyes, furtively slipping a small, crinkled note back into her jeans pocket. She had to admit that for an ancient Pharaoh who had been locked away for multiple millennia…the guy _sure_ knew how to write…

_Dearest Tea – _

_I stole something from you the other night that had not been mine for the taking, and for that…I am truly sorry. And while I am not so certain how much I truly deserve your forgiveness, I still hope that you can find it in your heart to pardon me…although, I have a sneaking suspicion you undoubtedly will. Regardless, I would still like to meet with you sometime over the course of this tournament to discuss the matter and ensure that all is once again well between us. I just need some time to think about what it is I want to say first. I really don't want to do or say anything foolish again…you are a very special and valuable friend to me, Tea – to Yugi and I both. The last thing we want to do is lose you, especially over such a frivolous and thoughtless action on my account. Thank you, and I wish you much luck in the tournament…although I highly doubt that you'll need it. You are the queen of the dueling arena after all, are you not?_

_Yours Truly,_

– _Yami_

To be honest, the note had rendered her somewhat _speechless_…I mean, what could you _possibly _say to a guy that was once a powerful King of Egypt, was a 5000-year-old _spirit_, was madly in love with you, and knew _exactly_ what to say?

Carefully resting her elbows atop the railing that bordered the ship, the young brunette took in a massive breath of the cool, night air, closed her eyes, and frowned. She had escaped to the dueling deck a short while back after Bakura's hospital room started to get a bit, shall we say, _noisy_ so she could read the letter Yami had written her in silence…and in _private_. To be honest, she could _handle_ the boisterous boys – to a certain extent, of course – but as soon as the gals managed to snatch the note from her unsuspecting grip and force her into a vicious game of monkey-in-the-middle, her patience utterly disintegrated…

Before she reached the top deck however, she had _foolishly_ decided to query Kaiba if it was at _ALL_ possible that his new and improved duel disks might have had some sort of minor _glitch_ that needed tweaking. Because she wasn't crazy…she _had_ seen that facedown card on the field, even though it _technically_ wasn't really…_there_. But, as she indubitably expected, he tossed the comment aside like a shredded piece of scratch paper.

And she thought they were FRIENDS!

Ha ha…yeah right.

But now, after reading her admirer's little note, the diminutive card issue seemed like it was going to have to wait, for one of the golden charms on her bracelet was beginning to gently tug in the opposite direction…

Without turning around, she smiled and said, "Hey there, Yami."

A soft laugh followed her greeting. "And I was _so_ sure that I had you that time…"

Tea slowly pivoted on her heels and leaned her lower back against the railing, gazing up at the handsome spirit with playful, azure eyes. "Hey…I'm the _queen_ of the dueling arena. You _know_ that nothing gets past me…_especially_ when I'm on my own turf."

Yami smiled a truly genuine smile, slowly sliding his hands into his pockets in the process. "Yes well…I take it you read my note then?" He tilted his head off towards the side as he awaited an answer.

"Actually," she began, "I just finished reading it…it was quite beautiful." She had been tempted to say "_unnecessary_, but beautiful," but for some reason, that just _didn't _seem like a wise thing to remark at the moment. "And you _know_ that I could never stay mad at you…_regardless_ of what you do. You're my friend, and I am sure you always _have_ been…if you know what I mean."

The Pharaoh paused for a moment, a slightly troubled and distant look clouding his once content features. "Yes, I…I really hope that we were."

Tea raised a brow. Was it something she had said? Ah yes…the good old "F" word. But wait…wasn't _that_ the reason why he was here? To restore their _friendship_ and ensure that it lasted? She briskly pushed herself off the fence with both of her palms and cautiously approached the contemplating spirit. "…Yami?"

As if awakening from a sudden reverie, the former Pharaoh snapped his penetrating, violet gaze back in her direction, smiling wanly. "Ah - _friends_, I mean. I really hope that you and I were friends."

She stared at him for a few more seconds before nodding and looking away, slowly retreating back to her place against the railing. "Right…"

Interpreting her sudden aloofness as uneasiness, the spirit sighed, gently pinching the bridge of his nose with his first finger and thumb as he said: "Look, Tea…I'm sorry. You _know_ that I am. So…what do you say you and I just…" He slowly removed his hand from his face and stared directly into his companion's questioning gaze before concluding: "…start anew?"

Tea grinned inwardly. "_Anew_, you say?"

"Well, yes."

"So…?"

"_So_, in other words, I think that the two of us should just put the past behind us…I mean, it's not like we can change it, right? What's done is done."

"You mean…you want to _forget_?"

"Um, yes - and no."

"_Okay_…meaning?"

"Look, I'm _not_ saying that we should just like…_pretend_ as if it never happened! I mean, I AM in a way, but…"

Tea struggled to suppress the strong urge to giggle. "You _do _realize that you're making ABSOLUTELY _no _sense right now..."

"(sigh) I was merely suggesting that we…"

Tea made a circling motion with one of her hands as if to say, "just spit it OUT already!"

"I want to _start_ _over_, Tea. I made a very stupid mistake the other night and instead of dwelling on it like we _have _been, I'd much rather just…forget about it and MOVE on."

Tea placed a hand over her mouth to hide the fact that she was overtly grinning. "Yami?"

"…Yes?"

She quickly swallowed her amusement, removed her hand from her face, and summoned up the _best_ formidable glare she possibly could before replying: "I thought you came here to apologize to me."

The spirit stood there for a moment, his eyes darting nervously from side to side and his mouth slightly agape as if he was about to say something, but he remained silent.

Tea felt the intense urge to laugh return as she folded her arms over her chest. It was strange, but for some odd reason, she found his open portrayal of discomfort to be extremely…amusing. Did that make her evil? "Yaaaaamiiii."

His expression grew grim as he reluctantly directed his wide, violet eyes in her direction, holding up his hands as if to protect himself from her anticipated wrath. "I…I _will_! I mean, I _am_! I mean...I thought I already did…didn't I?"

The entertained brunette slowly nodded. "Yes…yes you did."

The spirit paused for a moment, a look of complete and utter bafflement washing over his once frightened features as he cautiously lowered his arms. "So then…what _are_ you trying to say?"

Tea rolled her eyes and held out her arms, ultimately allowing her relentless grin to surface. "What I'm _saying_ is that I had told you and Yugi to forget about that silly little kiss the _instant_ it was over. It was _you_ who decided to dwell on it…not _we._"

"I…"

"Just shut up and come here."

Yami raised a puzzled brow. "Um…why do I get the feeling that you're getting some sort of sick and twisted _satisfaction_ out of my apparent distress?" He placed his hands on his hips as he awaited an answer. "I bet you laughed when you read that note I gave you…_hence_ the fact you were smiling when I got here."

Tea overlooked the first part of his comment, motioning to him with her fingers. "The note was sweet, Yami. It really was…" She paused for a moment before continuing. "_Unnecessary_, but sweet."

After a short pause, the spirit slowly shook his head, a huge smile materializing on his lips as realization _finally _dawned upon him. "You know…I should have _known_ you'd find some way to make me feel even stupider than I already felt…" And without further comment, the young Pharaoh melted into the girl's open arms, benignly resting his chin atop her right shoulder.

"I didn't do _anything_, Yami…it was all _you_."

"Yes, well...no one has to know that."

They stayed silent in each other's arms for a moment, contentedly enjoying the peaceful serenity that, as if on cue, had suddenly transpired all around them…that is until Tristin and Duke came scrambling onto the scene…

The two quickly parted as the arguing pair emerged from within a hidden stairwell that appeared to have originated from somewhere beneath the arena. Tristin was the first to notice them.

"Look! Over there…she's with Yami – TEA!"

Tea let out a long, mournful sigh, tilting her head in the spirit's direction as she said: "Oh well…I suppose I should feel _somewhat_ grateful that I was able to have at least LITTLE bit of '_me'_ time today."

Yami merely laughed.

Once the troublesome duo had reached their awaiting friends on the other end of the deck, they dropped to their knees and clutched their chests, panting heavily.

Tristin, however, fell onto his side as he gasped: "Woah…remind me _never _to do that again."

Duke leaned back onto his shins, resting his palms on the ground behind him. "Heh…remind ME never to follow your _lead_ again."

Tea grinned. "Well, well, well...if it isn't tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb!" The boys shot her a vicious glare before she continued. "Ha. And just WHAT, may I ask, have you two been doing?"

The spirit nodded, looking rather amused. "Causing trouble, I presume."

The brunette laughed. "More like fleeing from certain death."

"GUYS!" the black-haired dice master vociferously interrupted, forcing himself up from the ground. "You gotta listen!"

"Yeah…and I _know_ that I normally wouldn't agree with him, but I'm afraid that this is one of the _few_ circumstances where my opposition doesn't apply!" Tristin echoed as he too rose from the ground.

If it weren't for the fact that both of the boys looked utterly _horrified_, Tea would have immediately disregarded their anticipated unruliness as a sign of danger under the assumption that they were either hungry or tired. But this time…they _really_ looked frightened about something…

Her amused expression quickly vanished. "What is it?"

"It's Bakura…" Tristin began.

"His ring's gone missing!" Duke finished. "AGAIN!"

"No…"

The boys regretfully nodded, lowering their heads in shame as they simultaneously muttering a soft "_Yes_."

Tea's expression remained blank and unreadable for a short moment before she released a somewhat _mechanical_ laugh, slowly shaking her head in disappointment. She had left the golden item atop the white-haired boy's nightstand, assuming that the presence of all her friends would make it rather…_difficult_ for it to disappear unnoticed. But it appeared as if she had been wrong…

Stupid, naïve, and WRONG.

Her voice was hoarse and her mouth was dry, but the young brunette still managed to say: "Is that so?"

Tristin was unsure as to how he should respond, so he looked towards Duke for reinforcement. But the raven-haired boy wasn't stupid. He knew quite well when it was time to keep his mouth shut…

He held his arms up in defense, shaking his head as if to say, "No FREAKIN' WAY, dude…"

Tristin shot him a nasty snarl before reluctantly returning his attention back towards the infuriated brunette: "Um…Tea?"

Alas, the girl appeared to be off in her own little world at the moment, mumbling inarticulately to herself. "This is great…_juuuuust_ great. What a WONDERFUL way to end such a _lovely_ day!"

Yami was about to boldly interject, but immediately decided against it as the upright curves of Tea's spurious smile inverted. And then suddenly, as if she had been hit over the head with a frying pan, the former queen threw her arms up into the air and roared out of sheer anger and frustration: "_**FRICK**! _That evil two-timing BASTARD! I KNEW IT – I JUST _KNEW_ THAT HE COULDN'T BE TRUSTED! GOD-_DAMN-IT-ALL-TO-FRICKING-HELL_!"

Tristin and Duke quickly jumped out of her way as she bolted past them, threw herself into nearest open elevator, and slammed the side of her recently-made fist into the "down" button. " I _SWEAR_, WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM, HE'LL BE NOTHING MORE THEN A _DIRTY_ PLATE OF CHOPPED **_LIVER_**!" And then, as if sanity had suddenly befallen her once more, her crimson features paled as her anger was replaced with fear: "Wait a minute…you guys didn't leave Joey in the room ALONE with him…" Her once calm demeanor grew frantic as the elevator doors began to slowly shut. "Did you?"

The boys exchanged confused looks as Tristin replied, "Yeah…we did. Why?"

But the elevator doors had already come to an abrupt close, preventing the girl's voluble response, if there even WAS one, from being heard.

"Um…" Yugi remarked after a few moments of silence. He had traded places with his yami only seconds before. "Is anybody else confused? Or is it just me?"

"You know," Tristin began, evidently disregarding his friend's previous question, "she wasn't even _half_ this mad when she shoved that fork up my nose…"

Duke slowly shook his head. "Dude, that was _five_ years ago…"

"So? What's you're point?"

The dice master grinned. "Because THEN…she probably hadn't had the pleasure of experiencing the wonderful repercussions of PMS."

Tristin's expression remained utterly blank for a few seconds before he burst out laughing. "DUDE! You are SO RIGHT!"

Yugi merely rolled his eyes. "This is just sad…"

'Sorry you switched?' came an amused response from within his head.

Yugi laughed. 'Maybe a little…' To the others, he said, "Come on guys…I suggest we follow Tea. She might need our help."

After regaining his composure, Tristin nodded. "Yes, I agree…wait a second, Yugi? Where the HELL did _you_ come from?"

Duke raised a confused brow. "Um…dude? Are you …_feeling_ okay?" He obviously wasn't aware that there was a slight _difference_ between "this" Yugi and the "other" Yugi that had been standing there only moments before…

Yugi slowly shook his head as he headed off in the direction the disheveled female had gone. "He's fine, Duke. Now come on…let's GO."

Tristin laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head, bolting after his friend: "Uh, yeah! What _he_ said!"

Duke hesitated for a moment before following suit. "_Ho-kaaaaaay_ then. I'm just going to _pretend_ like I understand what just happened…"

"That's probably for the best!" came his amused reply.

The green-eyed boy snarled and crossed his arms, slowly walking off as he spat: "Eh, _shaddup_, Taylor."

**xxXxxXxx**

"Serenity! WAIT up! You KNOW I can't run that _goddamn_ fast in these _shoes_!"

Serenity rolled her honey-hued eyes and sighed as she reluctantly slowed to a stop, pivoting on her heels so that could face her sluggish companion. "Okay, FIRST of all, I wasn't _running._ I was _power_-walking. SECOND of all, I was under the assumption that YOU of all people would know how to run in a pair of shoes like that, ESPECIALLY if a klutz like ME can!" She briefly pointed to her own pair of high-heeled shoes before continuing: "As for my THIRD point…" Her lips curled into a small frown as she brought a hand to her chin in contemplation. "Um…what was I gonna say?"

"That we've arrived at our given destination, so there's no need for us to, as you had so _eloquently_ put it, 'power-walk' anymore," the blonde huffed as she came to an abrupt halt next to the younger girl. She pointed to the tall, metal door that stood a couple feet in front of them at the edge of the hall. "See?"

Serenity raised a bewildered brow. "Uh…yeah. That was…EXACTLY what I was going to say. How did you…?"

"Because _I'm_ SMART."

"_Freaky_."

Mai rolled her eyes, grabbing the semi-shocked girl by the arm so that she would follow. "Come on, hun. Let's go...I don't have all day."

"WOAH! Uh, in CASE you hadn't noticed – which I don't think you have – I HAVE legs of my own! Which means that I'm PERFECTLY capable of walking to and from places on my – OOF!"

The blonde covered her mouth in order to muffle her irrepressible giggles and snorts. "You were _saying_?"

"Ow…"

"In case YOU hadn't noticed, which it's _obvious_ you didn't, there was a door in front you. And a door generally indicates that it's time to for you to _stop_ walking. It's a little thing I like to call…_common_ _sense_."

Serenity slowly peeled her face off the cool, gray metal and shot her friend an infuriated snarl. "Well _maybe_ if you hadn't been _dragging_ me along like I was some sort of blasted SUITCASE, I PROBABLY would have been able to STOP IN TIME!"

Mai slowly shook her head. "Okay, now this is EXACTLY what you DON'T want to do…"

Serenity gently rubbed her reddened nose with the palm of her right hand before exclaiming: "But my FACE HURTS! What else am I supposed to - _wait_ a second…" She raised a confused brow before continuing: "What _exactly_ AM I doing?"

Mai began to casually examine her perfectly manicured nails as she replied: "You're losing your temper." Her vivid, violet eyes then suddenly snapped back in the younger girl's direction as she concluded: "And if you go in there all angry and flustered, your harmless 'suggestion' is going to sound a lot more like a nasty 'demand'."

The redhead paused for a brief moment, looking as if she were going to retaliate with her eyes narrowed, right index finger poised high in the air, and mouth slightly ajar, but remarkably, she remained silent. Instead, she slowly nodded and turned back towards the door. "Fine. You win. I hope you're happy."

"I am, thank you. Now dare to suffer the wrath of the blue-eyes white dragon and KNOCK on the damn _door_ already!"

Serenity laughed as she shot her elder friend an amused glare, her fist poised to knock. "Alright, _alright_. Don't get your _panties_ all in a bundle." Mai didn't respond. She merely gaped at her – then again, her gaze _was_ directed a little bit high - for a few seconds before she burst out laughing, pointing to the door with the hand she wasn't using to cover her mouth. Serenity's amused grin slowly vanished, an expression of sheer concern appearing in its place. "Uh, Mai? Are you…okay?"

"Hn. As if two visits from Gardner wasn't enough…"

As Mai continued to laugh like there was no tomorrow, Serenity whipped her head in the direction of the irritated voice, a.k.a. the door, and cringed. Apparently, Kaiba had opened the door the exact same _instant_ she had decided to look away. What PERFECT timing…

The young redhead stood there for a second, gaping at the tall brunette like he was some sort of three-headed bull-dog before she too burst out laughing, doubling over as she exclaimed: "Oh man! I should feel totally embarrassed right now, but I'm too _amused_ to feel sorry for myself!"

"Me too!" came her giggling friend's reply.

Seto rolled his eyes as he stiffly pivoted on his heels and headed back into his office, his long, white trench coat swishing behind him. "_Sorry_, Wheeler…I'm afraid that I _don't_ speak _canine_." He inwardly smirked as the girls' laughter came to an abrupt halt. "Good thing you decided to bring a _translator _along…"

Mai prepared herself for the worst as she shifted her gaze in her silent companion direction, but to her surprise…the girl seemed UTTERLY unfazed, maybe even slightly _amused_. Then again, she had to remember that this wasn't JOEY they were dealing with; it was his calm, cool, and collected little sister - the one who usually PREVENTED the unruly blonde from getting into unnecessary fights with just about anyone he crossed paths with…

Serenity must have been thinking the same thing, for no less then a second later did she remark: "You seem to forget…I'm NOT my brother. So you can pelt me with all the _pathetic_ insults you want, but they're NOT going to affect me."

Kaiba yawned as he settled himself into his tall, black swivel chair. "Do you _need_ something? Because if you do, I suggest you come back later…or never. I'd actually prefer the _latter_, if you don't mind…"

Serenity snorted as she and Mai proceeded to step into his office, the tall metal door swishing to a close behind them. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Seto shot the redhead a tedious glare before retorting: "Yes…_very_ much so."

Serenity laughed. "Well, TOO BAD! Cause I have something I'd like to _ask _you…"

Seto gave a quick wave of his hand as if granting her permission to speak. "You have one minute."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "O-_kay_ then…" She plopped down onto one of the couches opposite from the scowling CEO and sighed. Mai immediately followed suit. "I suppose, since my time is SO very limited, that I should just…come out and SAY what it is I want to say."

"That would be nice," came her monotonous reply.

The redhead ignored it and continued. "I want to know if it is at ALL possible for you to land this aircraft so that we can – "

"_No_."

Serenity eyes widened, her mouth still agape as it framed the next word she had been cut off from saying. "I didn't even get to finish – "

Kaiba's visage remained utterly blank as he spat: "I don't NEED to know your reason."

Son of a…

Serenity jumped up from her seat, arms stiff at her sides and fists tightly clenched. "And WHY, may I ask, is that?"

'Whatever you do…DON'T LOSE YOUR COOL!' Mai mentally screamed, watching her friend fume through clenched teeth.

"Because nothing you say or do will convince me to land this plane. It stays in the air until the conclusion of this tournament. END OF DISCUSSION."

End of discussion? _WHAT_ DISCUSSION? She barely even had a chance to _say_ anything! Serenity took in a deep breath in order to keep herself from doing EXACTLY what the arrogant CEO WANTED her to do…scream. Rant. Rave. _Silent fuming_ would just have to suffice for now.

"I'm sorry," she hissed after an excruciatingly long pause. She swiftly strode over towards where he was sitting, only ceasing her strides once her toes were mere centimeters away from his. She then leaned over slightly and pointed an index finger directly at the tip of his nose as she retorted: "But Bakura is in need of some SERIOUS medical attention right now. And I just can't let that fact go unchecked."

The tall brunette's unblinking eyes suddenly narrowed. "First of all, I would GREATLY appreciate it if you would take at least FIVE steps back. You are _insolently_ invading my personal space." The girl didn't move right away, but, her eyes flashing with the utmost hate and fury, slowly did as she had been instructed, give or take a step. "Thank you. Second of all…I own some of Japan's most prominent and gifted doctors, and it just so happens that THREE of them are currently aboard this ship. Therefore, I can assure you that your friend is probably in better hands here then he would be in that pathetic excuse for a hospital back in Domino." When the girl didn't respond right away, he added, "Now if you would PLEASE excuse me…I have more IMPORTANT things to do."

Serenity snarled as he rotated his chair. "If it wasn't for the fact that you could be hiding a fricken GUN in your pocket, I would SO totally slap you right now."

Kaiba merely snorted. "I'm flattered. Really I am. Now LEAVE."

Serenity silently grunted before turning around to face her taciturn friend. "Come on. Let's go…this room _reeks_ of coffee."

Mai smirked as she stood up and followed the younger girl out of the room. And to think that this girl was ACTUALLY related to Joey…

Who would have EVER thought?

**xxXxxXxx**

"Don't WORRY Joey! I'm _coming_! Stupid bracelet…you should be glowing! You should be HELPING ME!"

Tea angrily shook her garbed wrist as she dashed out of the elevator and down the nearest hall. She had a SLIGHT idea as to where she was going, but not much of one. She was kinda hoping her bracelet would make up for that…

But alas, her _lovely_ little Millennium Item appeared to be OFF at the current moment. How _typical_…

As the disheveled brunette neared the end of the hall, she racked her brain as to which direction she should turn. Last she recalled she had made a right out of Bakura's room and another right down the nearest hall. Therefore…it made sense for her to make a couple lefts. If she was wrong, she was wrong. At least she'd know that she was backtracking in the correct "general" direction…

Little did she know, however, that there was another person around the corner who was bent on making a right. Yet they weren't going NEARLY as fast as she was, so, when she zipped around the corner, she flew head first into the person's chest, causing them to make a loud "OOF-ing" sound as they flew backwards and crashed into the ground. And since Tea had accidentally gripped the person's shirt out of sheer fear that her life was coming to an abrupt end, she toppled right over with them.

A musky scent that greatly resembled the exotic, Egyptian sands suddenly invaded her nostrils. Yet Tea was a bit too dazed to really care, let alone worry about what her winded victim smelled like…

"Ow…" she whimpered as she slowly lifted her upper body off of the poor person beneath her, distributing her weight between her grounded knees and palms. "I'm _really_ sorry! I wasn't exactly watching where I was-" Tea abruptly cut herself off in mid-sentence, her eyes widening and her mouth falling slightly agape as she saw who it was that she had bumped into. A pair of wild, violet eyes met her shocked azure stare, although they didn't seem reflect her alarm. They looked more confused – or was it amused? – then anything else.

The person - or should she say HE – grinned sheepishly. Wait a second…grinning sheepishly? Was that even a possible expression? "This situation seems vaguely familiar…does it not?" he whispered softly, his voice three or four octaves lower then she last remembered it to be.

Tea quickly pushed herself off the boy and jumped back in surprise. Of ALL the STUPID people she could have possibly collided with…

It just HAD to be Malik…didn't it?

**xxXxxXxx**

Oops…did I just leave ya hangin' there? Heh, heh…my bad.

Yeah, I know. It was shorter then usual, but…I wanted to post the damn thing up sometime this millennium, so I had to cut it short. Regardless…I would still like you all to review (insert smiley face here). Y'all _know _how much I appreciate those...

Happy fourth-a-July!


	16. The End or how it was SUPPOSED to end

So I just found this on my old, dead computer...this thing I wrote forever ago that gives the gist of how this story was _supposed_ to end. I thought I'd share it with all of you for the sake of your sanity.

After Tea runs into Malik…things get hazy. Leaning towards her being saved by the sudden appearance of Yugi, Tristin, and…and…and…_Duke_. Right. Geeze. And she would breeze by him, or something, remembering that she'd left Joey with Bakura. Picture her being as frantic as she was boarding the elevator in the previous chapter.

More haziness. Thinking that Joey could have maybe been under the influence (of…someone) and I'd have Tea tackle him to the floor, like she usually did to Bakura when his Yami had a hold of him—idea is hazy. Not certain.

Think I was going to have Odeon and…and…and…and…who? _Joey_ duel. Right. So like, he'd appear and pull off his hood and Lira and Tea would look at each other and be like "he has HAIR?!" (like, a full head) Anyway, he would lose, as would Joey…somehow…thus causing Malik to go unstable. Tea would notice his sudden change in demeanor, and, as a result, would run towards him and crush him in a gigantic hug, whispering things like "it's going to be okay," and "breathe. Just breathe." And he, being so strained, is unable to do anything but quiver, eyes wide, body tense. End of chapter: him pushing her to the ground, emerging as this terrifying beast, or YM, and Tea just screaming. "NO!"

The next chapter was going to start with everyone crowded in Odeon's room, Tea sitting on the bed, looking dejected, trying to find someway to explain how she knew Odeon, Ishizu, and the eerily nice-guy-turned-psychopath that was currently no where to be found. So she explains it to them. And about the bracelet. And her apparent past. And apologizes for not saying anything sooner. Sorta. Everyone seems surprised but Yami. Think I was going to have them forgive her. Obviously. Can't remember. This is when Ishizu gives Tea her necklace, saying something along the lines of "maybe it will show you the way." Or something. Then, Seto and Ishizu are called up to duel. Tea doesn't watch it. She remains with Odeon as everyone piles out.

Was going to have her sit there, talking to him in either low-light or the dark with nothing but the moon to light the room. It isn't long, though, before Malik-turned-Marik knocks out the on-staff doctor, bursts into the room, and pins her to the window, his staff at her throat. He says he needs to kill her before she can ruin anything. But for some reason, he can't bring himself to do it. Idea is hazy, but…thinking of having him change forms for a brief moment to say that he's sorry. That he's an idiot for wanting things that are impossible to attain by sheer force alone. That he's missed her terribly and that, even if everything fell to shit, it would have been worth it because he got to see her again. Thinking of having him lean his forehead against hers and close his eyes, like he finally found some peace. But he can't remain that way for long before the spirit overcomes him once more. He laughs like a mad-man, muttering things about death and destruction. Then, he's called in to duel Mai—ensuring Tea that their little chat isn't over. He creams Mai, of course, thus causing her to crumple into a pathetic heap on the deck. This causes Joey to freak out, and he remains by her bedside for the entire evening, proving, once and for all, that he does in fact care deeply for her (instead of having her dead unconscious, thinking of having her go in and out so she can be aware of Joey's presence). That night, at the end of the chapter, thinking of describing Tea laying in bed, debating whether or not she should put on the necklace. She decides to, lays back down, close her eyes, and, just as Ishizu had described earlier, the world around her spins out of control and she is plummeted into darkness.

Next part is certain: basis for story.

Next series of events reveals the half-deleted story written on the stone tablet Ishizu brought in from Egypt: Anzu's last hours. The girl standing over her bed was a servant girl. One that slightly resembled Serenity, but not entirely. Thinking of naming her Shizuka, for the hell of it. Not sure on the dialogue, but, after of few moments of utter disconcertion, I would have Tea realize that she was merely a second set of eyes looking out at the world of Ancient Egypt through the body of Queen Anzu. She has no control of anything, however, she retains all her senses and is able to see, smell, taste, and feel everything that the Queen does. She would also notice that she was wearing the Millennium bracelet. After getting a quick survey of the room, Tea would get a glimpse of herself in a mirror. She would look the same, maybe a bit older than her actual self, with long, wavy brown hair, tanned skin, and blue eyes that were much narrower than her own. It was like a future vision of herself. From there, I was going to have her, with the help of Shizuka, garb herself in the clothing of a peasant and slip from the castle she was apparently residing in. As she passes through the gates, a strange sensation would pass over her, and her attention would be drawn to the crunching underneath her feet. Somehow, Tea manages to identify the strange material as flowers made of paper. She doesn't realize it yet, but there is a connection between this phenomenon and the face down card that appeared when she played her Goddess card. What it is: a defense card called Paper Flowers (which I have totally stolen from an Evanescence song). It's a non-existent card that only appears when the Goddess is put into play. When activated, it forms a huge, rotating shield of flowers around the user, thus blocking any attack, no matter how strong. She couldn't see it coming out, but, as Anzu turns around to get one last glimpse of the castle as she runs, a giant tower of rotating flowers could be seen surrounding the entire castle, coming up from the ground and disappearing in the clouds. In fact, the whole ground would be covered with them. Tea would be aware of the dark magic that existed during that time and would assume that it must be some sort of spell to protect the royal family.

Tea can only watch as Anzu, in a dark, hooded cloak, takes her down numerous winding roads (giving her a brief glimpse of what Ancient Egypt had looked like) until she collapses in front of a certain house at the end of a block. The door opens to reveal the last person she thought she'd ever see: Malik, but a version of him hat was at least 10 years older, with longer hair and a taller, leaner physique. When she goes in, she discovers the truth about her marriage: that it was arranged. She never loved Atem. She loved Malik. Always had. So, whenever she got the chance, she would stow away to his house, dressed as a peasant, so that she could be with him. Thinking of having him, once she regains her breath, pin her to the wall and shower her with kisses. Unfortunately, she isn't with him long before someone starts banging on the door. The two jump apart stare at each other in horror and Anzu goes to hide in the back room, but peeks from behind a curtain so she can see what's going on. Malik cautiously goes to answer the door. It is his older brother, Odeon. He's out of breath as he tries to explain that Atem knows she is here; she was followed by one of his guards. Apparently, Atem had Shizuka bound and tortured until she gave the whereabouts of her mistress. He goes on to say that Lira is trying mislead the oncoming horde, but they still need to get out of there. He then departs, hoping to assist Lira. Anzu and Malik quickly gather provisions and prepare to leave. But before they can, the house is overtaken by royal guards, one of which strongly resembles Joey. He gives Anzu a sympathetic look, as if he is sorry this had to happen. The two are taken back to the palace. She is taken to the temple, where Seto is, and confined to a small room in the back—as much as she fights, she cannot overcome her captors; and since her bracelet does nothing to help, she gives up and crumples to the floor. Malik is taken to the dungeons at the base of the castle. Seto, unable to keep her confined, lets her free, but warns her to be careful. Apparently, the two are close because Anzu would often go there to pray when she was feeling sad, which was more often than not. Anzu quickly but carefully makes her way to where Malik is being held. The room is swarming with guards, three of which are Joey, Tristin, and Duke; or at least, they're men that resemble them. The Tristin look-alike appears to be furious, and Tea briefly wonders if it has anything to do with Shizuka. She doesn't dwell on it long, though, because at this precise moment, there are twenty bows and arrows pointed directed at the blonde's shackled body, as well as the angered glare of a deranged King that looks exactly like Yami, just taller. Joey gives her the same sympathetic look, for he too is wielding a bow and arrow. That's when Anzu does the unthinkable: she throws herself in front of Malik's body and prepares to block the attack. But once again, her bracelet does nothing to protect her, and she is sliced apart.

Even though she's not technically part of Anzu's body, Tea still feels her pain. But neither she nor Anzu cry as they fall to the ground in a bloody heap. Malik's screaming and teary face is the last thing she sees as her vision and hearing slowly fade. But, for some reason, Tea feels a sense of calm spread over her; like Anzu is okay with this. She even finds herself smiling. The ancient Egyptians believed in reincarnation: so Tea figures that perhaps Anzu believes they'll meet again in another life. A few moments later, she wakes and sits up, finding herself atop a bed of flowers in the midst of the temple. Seto is kneeling at her side, mourning and praying. And, surprisingly enough, standing at his side is an exact replica of Ishizu, dressed in the magnificent garbs of the high priestess. She tries to get their attention but can't. That's when she realizes that she has emerged from Anzu's body and taken control of her own spirit. She sits there for a moment, disoriented. Before she departs, she waits for a moment, watching as Seto rises and embraces the Ishizu-look-alike. She embraces him back and starts to cry, murmuring something about her poor brother. Seto kisses her on the head and rests his forehead against hers.

Tea wonders what their deal is, but doesn't dwell on it for long as her thoughts are encompassed by her suffering friend. Barely thinking, she rushes back to where he was being held, half-floating and walking through walls, only to find the room empty. She scours the castle frantically, but can't seem to find her way. That's when she runs into the forms of Joey and a blonde woman dressed as a priestess that strongly resembled Mai. She was half-crying, half-screaming, banging on his chest as she begged him to do something. But Joey does nothing but stand there, looking forlorn. He mumbles something incoherently, but Tea manages to catch the words "millennium" and "objects". With wide eyes, she looks down at her wrist and discovers that she is still wearing the Millennium bracelet, and, even though it's just as transparent as she is, all seven of the golden extensions are still gently tugging in a certain direction. With one last glance at the forlorn pair, Tea follows her bracelet's lead until she comes to a sort of shrine room where all of the Millennium items are being held. She arrives just in time to see Atem bring out a brown, gourd-shaped container. Malik is once again shackled to a wall, except this time, he has company: a Bakura look-alike is also shackled to the wall, looking as dejected as Malik is. As the gourd is brought fourth, Atem, half-crying, half fuming, curses Malik in the name of Ra and sentences him to an eternity of pain and suffering. He also addresses the white-haired man beside him, saying that he too will suffer for his misdeeds, which were apparently thievery and murder of countless royal guards. How the two are connection…haven't quite decided, if at all.

First Atem commands his guards to seal Bakura's soul in the Millennium ring. After he is sucked from reality, much to her and Malik's horror, he commands his guards to open the gourd and force Malik to swallow whatever was inside. Tea tries to stop it from happening, but realizes that she was only watching what had already happened. The end of the beginning. So she can only look on as Malik screams until his throat bleeds and the monster emerges from within him, his eyes wide and mouth set in a horrifyingly smile. And what was even more horrifying was the fact that, as the possessed blonde snatches the Millenium rod from its respected case on the wall and stabs himself in the gut with it, she could have sworn that he was staring directly at her, like he knew she was there. And then she is pulled from this reality and thrown into her own, screaming like she never had before. But she had no time to dwell on what has happened, for her bracelet yanks her from bed and smashes her into the door.

In the next chapter, she was supposed to meet up with YB and YM, who are on the dueling deck arguing. She discovers that Bakura, who was once a thief king, despises this particular spirit. Haven't exactly figured out why yet, but, much to Bakura's surprise, was thinking of having Tea take his side and assist him curse the spirit into the ground, saying that he'll never get away with what he's doing, Malik will be freed, yadda yadda. She then goes back to her room until the second part of the finals was to begin. She is the last to emerge from her room and out onto the dueling deck. And as she does, everyone stares at her like they've seen a ghost. Apparently, Tea had kept Anzu's hairstyle, her hair long and wavy as it had once been 5000 years ago.

Weeeirrrrdddd.

In the finals, was going to have Yami face Seto (and have Yami win) and Tea face Marik. She wins and manages (this was the second duel I was going to describe) to get the spirit out of his body, with the help of her Goddess and the defense card, Paper Flowers (she figures out what it was because of her excursion of the past and knows how to use it). Malik crumples and a white, ghostly mass with hollow eyes and mouth set in a silent scream comes hurtling towards her, straight from Malik's mouth. It throws her off the dueling deck and onto the ground, but it cannot penetrate her body because she is protected by her bracelet. It knocks her out though and she awakes in a hospital room in Domino. She never gets to face Yami, but she does find it in her heart to forgive him. He had apparently felt awful about what he'd done and imprisoned himself in the puzzle as a result. (or something like that).

Her friends come visit her soon after she awakens, bearing a note that they claim they cannot understand. (Was also going to have her confront the spirit of the ring, who comes to see her apart from everyone else, and create some sort of truce with him. Or…something…) The note she receives ends up being from ishizu—something she'd written to Tea in Arabic so no one else could read it—explaining how Malik had insisted he return to Egypt, unable to understand why he was in Japan. More importantly, Arabic was the only language he seemed to respond to, he refused see Tea when asked, claiming he had no time for fraternizing, and was apparently completely oblivious to everything that had happened. She goes on to say that she wishes for Tea to either catch him before he departs with Odeon, or, if she misses their 5:00 flight, follow after them—jog some sense into his befuddled brain. For some reason, she feels like Tea's the only one that can. Tea wonders why Ishizu didn't go with him, but the note doesn't reveal anything.

So Tea, being as riled up as she was, immediately rushes to the airport, her friends close behind, but it's too late. They're already gone. Lira is there, though, apparently waiting to hear her decision. Unsure what to do, Tea goes back and fourth. On one hand, she desperately wishes to see Malik—for REAL. On the other, she's terribly pissed that he'd leave without saying goodbye to her and go so far as faking amnesia (yeah, she thinks he was faking. Cause he totally is). Yugi, who's currently in his Yamified form, tells her to go. That it's about time things were set right. She pretends to not understand (cause Yami doesn't know what she'd seen) and, with the help of Lira's credit cart, she decides to head back to Egypt. She obviously goes back to the hotel first to pack and notify her aunt, who isn't entirely able to understand Tea's uber fast explanation of everything. But she lets her go.

On the plane ride there, Tea asks Lira why Ishizu didn't return with her brother. Lira smiles and says that she had a dinner date with a certain CEO that evening. She says that Ishizu claims it was so that he could return her card, but doesn't buy it. Tea smiles as well, knowing full well that Lira's hunch is probably right.

Once in Egypt, she is taken to the place where Malik and Odeon were staying. It turns out to be the underground labyrinth they all used to live in as kids—they'd gone there on Malik's insistence. Dropping her stuff by the main staircase, she makes her way into a large, open space towards the back while Lira goes off in search of Odeon. There, Tea finds Malik sprawled across a couch, eyes glued to an old television set that barely works. He doesn't even look up when she comes in. She decides to play his game though by speaking in Arabic. He doesn't seem to care that she's there though, and, after screaming at him for 20 minutes in three different languages, she finds herself standing on the surface in the midst of a vast, open desert, fuming.

Things get hazy again, but was planning to have him eventually come outside with her, speaking in Japanese or English or whatever again. They would talk. She would smack him around a bit. Eventually hug him. As she hugged him, he would ask her if she still loved him. She would pull back and look at him strangely for a moment. Like; "Um, WTF are you talking about?" But the more she stares at him strangely, the more she begins to understand. She had told him she loved him in that very spot, six years ago, as she was being taken away for what she thought to be forever. Then, she'd smile and say yes, she does. And he would simply say "Good." And then he would kiss her.

Or…something like that.

Who knows.

And that's the end.


End file.
